Fallout: Dust to Dust
by FightingKentuckian
Summary: With Hoover Dam done and in the books the Courier looks towards a quiet life among the good friends he's traveled with. While life is starting to settle for the Courier's community there is one fact that will draw them all back into the Mojave, that is "war, war never changes".
1. Round up the Posse

The Hoover Dam stood far off on the Northern horizon. Only five years ago had the Courier stood on that concrete wall with the New California Republic pushing back the Legion's second attempt to take the power plant. After sending the Legate back to Arizona with his tail between his legs, the Courier left the dam. Course by the time he fought across the dam the Courier hadn't done any message delivering for some time. Most people around the Mojave knew him better as the Cowboy, due to the pre-NCR ranger duster, it's tattered tails kicking up dust from the sandy ground, and the wide brimmed, black cowboy hat that sat over a pair of shaded Aviators. After the dam, the Cowboy had little interest in returning to a life of perpetual travel. The NCR rewarded the Cowboy with a little plot of land towards the southern tip of the Mojave, close to Legion Arizona, but that didn't bother Cowboy. The land was fertile, by Mojave standards, and a farm seemed a nice change of pace for the hero of Hoover Dam. Besides that, through all of his travels the Cowboy had a collection of people that depended on him. Companions that followed him throughout his travels, who were affected by the Cowboy's good nature, who couldn't or wouldn't go back home. Luckily they all had a set of skills that complimented the Mojave well.

The Cowboy walked across the mulched ground to inspect the crops. Little sprouts of corn and banana yucca stalks were starting to sprout from the irradiated earth. He placed a firm hand on the shoulder of Veronica Santangelo as she bent down to water the meager crops. Her patched up Scribe robes collecting dust off the ground. Veronica didn't feel comfortable in the Brotherhood's bunker anymore and started to wander the Mojave on her own. Cowboy took her in, feeling sort of a fatherly responsibility for the girl.

"Crops are coming up nicely." The Cowboy encouraged with a low, almost silent, tone.

"Of course, I've been singing to them." Veronica smirked back.

"I'm surprised they want to grow at all after hearing your singing." a gravelly, Spanish voice came from across the field. They looked up and smiled at Raul, Veronica stuck her tongue out at the wise cracking mechanic. The sarcastic, old Ghoul had become quite the popular person on the farm. He always captivated people with his stories of pre-War Mexico, but he took special interest in Veronica. She reminded him of his sister he lost so many years ago. Once he was free of his Utobitha prison, he returned to his shack up north, but the old Ghoul got lonely and decided why not work with the Cowboy again.

The Cowboy left Veronica to go check on Raul.

"So, how's this little pet project coming along?" he asked. Raul had an old truck dragged in from the Mojave. It was his goal to see if he could make it run again, a rare sight in the wastes. He leaned up from under the hood and wiped the oil on his hands off onto his blue Petro Chico jumpsuit.

"Well boss. The radiator's cracked, the alternator's all but rusted out, and the battery's corroded. So it's doing good." Raul delivered the line with dry wit. Cowboy slapped Raul on the back and walked away,

"I've got faith in you." he jokingly encouraged. As the Cowboy went across more of his land a dog came up to his side, following along with him as best as his mechanical legs could function. Cowboy looked down at the robo-dog, it's new brain still looking fresh in it's case. The way it could keep up with the folks around here, you would never expect this dog to be almost as old as the mechanic. Cowboy bent down as he walked and gave Rex a little scratch on the side. The old dog enjoyed it. Finally the duo reached a set of water barrels where a clean cut man in a lab coat was going over some charts on a clipboard. Over top of him was a hovering robot. "Hey ED-E" the cowboy waved at the robot then turned to the blond doctor, "Got a problem Doc?" Arcade Gannon looked up from his charts and peered over his thick rimmed glasses at him.

"Yeah, see this here." Arcade tapped a number on the sheet, "our water lately has higher levels of radiation. Nothing immediately dangerous, but it's more rads than I'm comfortable with. And still waiting for more Med-X to help Veronica with that virus she's got." Arcade continued to complain as he motioned his pen to Veronica out in the field. The Cowboy looked towards her with a forgetful look on his face as he yelled across the open land,

"HEY! VERONICA! How's that cold treating you?"

"WELL! I only threw up on the plants once today." she yelled back.

"Oh, don't say that! I eat this food." Arcade returned in a squeamish tone.

"You whine more than I do!" her reply got a chuckle from Cowboy. Feeling tired of doing research and wanting to see his science and medical skills in action Arcade left the Followers, on good terms. Now he kept the farm inhabitants, both human and beast, healthy and ventured out with Cowboy on runs to spread his knowledge through healing those beaten down by the Mojave. Cowboy then looked back up towards the eyebot.

"How's life ED-E?" he asked humorously. The little robot replied with a volley of cheerful beeps. The group noticed another member of their company out by the crudely made fence surrounding the property. She was sharing words with a trader that wandered by. As Cowboy walked towards the pair of debating caravaners with ED-E hovering behind him, he turned to Arcade with one last request.  
"Why don't you feed Rex there, partner." Arcade looked down to see the cyber-mutt begging at his feet.

Cowboy and ED-E came up onto Rose of Sharon Cassidy who was in a heated argument with the trader. She had been with the Cowboy from the Mojave Outpost through Hoover Dam and now here. Even though she put her caravan days behind her after settling scores with her rivals, still a sore spot for the NCR, she was the best bargainer around. Her old caravaning skills were used to deal with roving traders, but some trade deals always end in trouble.

"You are charging way too much for those medical supplies, and these brahmin cuts I'm offering are at least worth 50 caps in trade." Cass yelled at the scroungy trader, her cheeks as red as the hair under her straw cowboy hat.

"That steak!?" the trader said in a pompous voice, "I wouldn't wipe my ass wit that steak. Yo want these med stocks I want 300 caps, now." he made his outrageous offer. Cowboy stepped up to the two and intervened.

"Howdy, I'm the chief around here. There a problem here?" he tried to intimidate the trader.

"This jackass is charging 60 caps for watered down Med-X." Cass grumbled out with the usual smell of spirits on her breath. The trader scowled at the rough woman.

"Your cheap Brahmin meat ain't worth the 40 caps this whore trying to peddle it for." His pompous voice turning bitter. This caused Cass' face to turn blood red as she caught the trader with a right hook. He stumbled back from the punch and Cowboy grabbed Cass by the sleeve of her jacket before she jumped on the man and beat the Hell out of him. The dirty trader quickly regained his poise and drew 9mm from behind his back. With the gun pointed at the two he made a demand.

"Don't make no moves. Yo just give me all the caps you got and I leave without popping you in the head." Cowboy slowly moved his duster off of his hip. The trader jerked his gun towards the cowboy's head. "Uh nu, don't go for no gun. Caps, now!" Cowboy slowly raised his hands away from his body.

"Easy now, Just reaching for my caps. Don't need no trouble." Cowboy tried to defuse the situation, "Put that gun down, and we can be civil about this. Mojave doesn't need anymore savagery." This whole time Cass was hesitant, but her body language didn't show it. She still stood cold and hard, giving the trader the stink eye.

"Hurry up and kill this jackass." she cracked out. This caused a negative reaction in the trader's face.

"Not now, Cass." Cowboy spoke those words grittier. Cass sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Boone!" she shouted out into the sky. The trader's face was confused and nervous. He looked around to expect someone to jump out from behind a rock or a wall. He looked back at the two with beads of sweat dripping off his face with fear.

"What! what was that?" He shouted angrily waving the gun at the two, "Who'd you shout for?! Who's ..." his questioning was cut short by the sound of a rifle crack and a bullet that went through his skull. As the trader fell, the duo sighed with relief. Cass waved her arm towards the loft of the rebuilt barn as the cowboy bent down. They examined the dead trader and decided to help themselves to his medical supplies, and Cass grabbed a few bottles of whiskey.

"If we keep killing all the traders that wander by here we're going to get a bad rap. " Cowboy lectured Cass.

"Well, when they learn how to treat a lady we won't have to make Boone splat their heads against the rocks." Cass snarked back as she nodded her head back towards the barn. Craig Boone was a man searching for answers that couldn't be found. He left Novac after killing the hotel owner and lent his rifle to the Cowboy at Hoover Dam, and evened up the score with the Legion. His legendary performance there lead the NCR attempting to reenlist Boone into 1st Recon. He declined and instead continued to do what he did best, and it wasn't conversation. He practically lived up in the barn loft, the farm's highest spot, keeping an eye on all the comings and goings, especially keeping a keen eye towards Legion Arizona. He came down on rare occasions and speaking was even rarer.

Once a bunch of lone wanderers across the Mojave, now they formed one of the strongest and most prosperous communities in the wasteland.

Night fell on the desert and the group of farmers sat around a large table enjoying a home grown dinner, all of them except Boone, who preferred to eat in the solitude of the loft.

"Hey boss, this steak ain't bad for a gringo." Raul complimented the meal with a half smile. Cowboy nodded his head in approval. ED-E whistled around the room playing ambient music. Rex sat next to his master's chair eating his own plate of scraps on the floor. After finishing a mouth of mashed potatoes, Arcade turned towards the dog,

"You know it isn't good for him to eat greasy meat like that. It can affect some of his internal implants. That dog's been through enough already." Arcade lectured the Cowboy like a Yale professor.

"Ah, leave him alone." Cass defended Cowboy. She leaned over to Rex and patted him on the back, "You're a good boy aren't you. Eat up." Rex responded with a happy bark, and Cass took a drink from her glass of whiskey, only the 2nd glass tonight.

"Kinda reminds me." Veronica spoke with a soft, somber tone, "reminds me of Lilly. Way she loved all the little animals." the table went silent, ED-E muting his joyful music. Some at the table had been with Cowboy when he traveled with the mentally unstable Super Mutant. She marched with the Cowboy and a few others at the Battle of Hoover Dam. Lilly was fighting strong until a Legionnaire with displacer glove happened to catch her off guard. He struck a low blow that crushed into her ribs and sent her stumbling over the dam wall, she didn't survive the drop. Although they knew the huge grandmother for only a short time, she left an impression on them all.

"Hey, did I tell you all the story of when I outran two trucks with a bicycle in Juarez after the Generalé caught me with his daughter?" Raul tried to lighten the mood with another one of his pre-War tales. ED-E joined in by playing dramatic music to enhance the story. Dinner went on with everyone sharing food and tales, then everyone turned in for the night. Splitting off to different rooms in the two story, pre-War farm house. Cowboy hung up his worn duster on the coat rack in the corner of his room and set his hat on top of it. He crawled onto the dirty mattress that served as his bed. After setting his Aviators on the rickety nightstand, Cowboy pulled a tattered sheet over him. As he did this, Cass wandered in through his door. She had finished off three whole bottles by the end of the night, but nothing that the heavyweight couldn't handle. She had cast off her brown leather jacket earlier that night, her plaid shirt untucked and half unbuttoned.

"You keeping any company tonight?" she asked her words a little more slurred from the spirits. Ever since they met, these two have been a casual fling. Cass wasn't the marrying type and at any moment Cowboy could turn back to his ways of traveling and leave for the horizon. Cowboy leaned up on his mattress.

"Well, I usually get a visit from this one fiery cowgirl." he joked in return. Cass started a strut over towards the bed, tossing her straw hat casually to the floor as she slammed the door behind her.


	2. Brothers and Sisters

Early morning arrived on the Mojave farm. The sound of buzzing cazadores hummed in the distance. Cowboy had left Cass in bed as he walked out the door into the fresh morning desert air. Raul had taken a break from fixing the truck to help Veronica tend to the crops.

"No scarface, you have to water them left to right, that's how the corn stalks like it." Veronica educated the mechanic on the art of gardening. Raul smiled to himself and took her advice. Cowboy checked on them,

"You seem to be getting over that cold Veronica."

"I'm just really good at pretending it isn't there," she remarked sarcastically, "No, that Med-X you guys brought in yesterday really helped." she thanked the Cowboy in her own way. Before Cowboy could further his line of questioning, ED-E whistled up in a hurry. The tune he played was a distinct tune. It was a tune the Cowboy didn't like to hear, cause it was code for "Boone needs to speak with you", and when Boone called someone up to his loft sanctuary it was never for a social call.

"Keep teaching that old Ghoul some new tricks then. I've got to deal with this." he motioned towards ED-E as he walked away from Veronica.

"He's pretty stubborn, but I'll try." she replied. Cowboy climbed up the dilapidated barn ladder towards the sniper nest. Cowboy walked across the loft, the boards creaking under his feet. He navigated his way around a cot covered in wool blankets and stacks of ammo boxes littered on the floor.

"I heard you from two miles away." a gravelly, dry, hushed voice came from a man perched on a stool looking out across the land. In the lap of his brown khakis Boone sat his sniper rifle.

"I wasn't trying to be sneaky." Cowboy replied in a low tone. Boone let out a small huff accompanied with a smirk. "What'd you call me up here for Boone?" Cowboy cut to the point, Boone appreciated that. The muscular sniper waved him over. Cowboy took a knee next to him. Boone handed him a set of binoculars,

"Look out there," he pointed towards the wasteland, "about 2 clicks east." Cowboy raised the binoculars in that direction, Boone straightened up his prized Recon beret and raised the scope of his rifle to his eye. They both saw a small squad of men in power armor with another man in a robe. They were marching across the open desert, close to entering a tall canyon. Cowboy lowered his binoculars and looked over to Boone, who was still trained on the target.

"Brotherhood of Steel? That's what it looks like to me. They venture out of Hidden Valley now Boone, why'd you call me up here for that?" Cowboy was curious why this Brotherhood patrol interested Boone. Without looking away from his scope, Boone grumbled,

"Look again." Cowboy sighed, tipped up his black cowboy hat, and pulled the binoculars back up to his Aviators. He looked at the marching soldiers again. Then he noticed the man in the robe had his hands bound together and looked as if he was parched and close to collapse. He lowered the binoculars and turned back to Boone.

"Okay, what do you make of that?"

"Not really sure, but it doesn't sit right with me." Boone answered, "Wait, they're stopping." Boone's hushed tone had a hint of urgency. Cowboy looked back to the squad. They had stopped near the edge of the canyon, the four power armored soldiers surrounded the robed man. One of them forced the man to his knees. Cowboy could see the beaten man looking around at his four captors nervously, his mouth was moving, probably pleading for his life. With the raise of a laser rifle, one of the power armored men burned a hole through the man's chest. He fell to the desert floor with a thud. Another soldier pulled something from the fallen man's robes. After what the spying duo assumed was some conversation, the power armored squad moved across the desert and out of sight. Boone finally lowered his rifle and turned to Cowboy. "Think that's worth an investigation." Boone insisted.

"You want to go check it out?" Cowboy asked as he gazed across the majestic Mojave.

"I'm staying at my post. Take the Ghoul or the drunkard." Boone recommended with military stoicism. Cowboy nodded and started back down the ladder with haste. As he marched across the farm land he began shouting orders.

"Raul, take a break from the truck. Arcade, grab you doctor's bag, we're heading out on a run. Veronica, is Cass sobered up enough?"

"Nope. Haven't seen her all morning. Still sleeping it off." Veronica replied. Raul dropped his wrench, dug through his toolbox, and pulled out his .44 revolver. He joined Cowboy and Arcade as they hustled out of the fenced in farm. Cowboy whistled as he hurried out, calling Rex to his side.

"What's the hurry, boss?" Raul questioned the hurried pace.

"Boone saw something that we need to check." he was vague. They wandered across the Mojave wasteland when Rex picked up an unfamiliar scent. The robot dog barked to the men and jogged off. The three men tried to keep up with the dog. After several minutes of running Raul started to fall behind.

"Hang on, boss. I can't keep up like I used to. Running is hell on the joints." he muttered in between gasping breaths as he stood hunched over. The other two kept up after the dog until Rex found the source of the smell, fresh blood. The scene the trio arrived on was a dangerous one. The injured man in the robes had propped himself up against a rock, but a pack of nightstalkers heard the commotion and were starting to circle him.

"Stay back!" the injured man yelled at the beasts, then he saw the trio, "Please, help me!" Cowboy threw back his duster off his hip and grabbed the .44 Magnum in the holster by it's ivory grips. With his arm leveled, a shot thundered out from the Cowboy's gun. It's aim was true, striking a nightstalker in the shoulder. It stumbled down and the others in the pack started to run towards the trio, their tails rattling with fury. Taking on a charging pack of nightstalkers is suicide, even for the most accomplished wanderers. Cowboy and Arcade retreated back to a boulder that they scurried atop. Rex ran around the nightstalkers, jumping into the pack, nipping at their legs, then running back out. The nightstalkers surrounded the boulder, leaping up and flashing their fangs. Cowboy fired off another round from the magnum. It caught a beast in the back leg.

"Arcade, if you'd like to start shooting at anytime." the Cowboy's low voice was sprinkled with concern. Arcade was digging through his bag of supplies furiously, tossing Stimpacks to the side the bag and laying out bottles of Buffout on the rock as he searched.

"I must've left my gun back at the farm." Arcade yelled. Cowboy rolled his eyes under his Aviators and went back to shooting nightstalkers. Rex grabbed one by the leg, the abomination reared up in pain, giving Cowboy a clean shot. Another nightstalker started to climb the rock. The heel of Cowboy's boot connected the head of the snake dog. It slid back down the rock landing on it's back, leaving it's soft belly exposed. Cowboy took advantage of it and fired off another round. Rex and one nightstalker started tussling with each other. The beast's snake fangs engaged as it bit down on Rex. The dog's metal body deflect the fangs and Rex was able to strike a bite on it's throat. The beast started to ooze blood and stumble down. The ranks of the nightstalker pack were starting to thin, but they still viciously circled the rock, hissing all the way. Raul finally caught up with the other three. He saw the scene and quickly pulled his gun out of the belt of his Petro Chio jumpsuit. With two guns firing, the nightstalkers started to back off and run away into the desert. After the tail of the last beast disappeared into a cave, Raul walked over towards the boulder and helped the two men down. Arcade scooped all of the supplies scattered out on the rock back into his bag.

"This what happens when I leave you alone. Eh, boss?" the ghoul joked as they hurried over towards the wounded man. The robed man had faded quickly during the fight. He was unable to speak much and was close to the brink of death. Arcade was the first to the man and started to address the wound.

"Laser rifle wound in the chest, just missed the heart. Good thing about laser wounds is the heat from the blast cauterizes the wounds, so bleeding isn't a trouble."

"What about that hole all the way through him?" Raul asked sarcastically as he pointed to the obvious wound. Arcade waved his hand in frustration.

"I'll get it bandaged up, but his chances of making it through the night aren't great, unless we hurry. " he explained as he started to apply bandages to both sides of his wound. The injured man groaned and winced at the pain. Cowboy finally took a good look at the man's face. Under all the dirt, mud, sweat, blood, and dishelved hair he recognized the man in the robe.

"Do what you can to keep him living. That's Elder McNamara." Cowboy delivered the report. Arcade's eyes widened as he too recognized who it was. He worked with haste and gave the Elder a mixed shot of Stimpack, Med-X, and a little Jet.

"Okay, a gave him a small dose of some painkillers and coagulators. Gave him some Jet, just enough to keep him wired and conscious. We need to get him back to the farm, somewhere stable. He needs more attention."

"Can't you shoot him up with some more Stimpacks?" Cowboy asked innocently.

"If I try to give him a larger dose of anything than what I just gave him he'll go into shock." Arcade scolded the Cowboy for his ignorance in medicine.

"Alright, alright. Let's get him back to the farm, now." Cowboy ordered as he stuck his magnum back in it's holster under his duster. Both Arcade and Cowboy carefully picked up the wounded McNamara and carried him back across the rocky desert. The wind had started to pick up tossing tumbleweeds and sand across the land. They finally got back to the farm. Raul kicked in the door of the farmhouse, with the other two towing McNamara behind him. They erupt into the nearest bedroom, Cowboy's. Raul held open the door, Cowboy dropped his side of the Elder to toss Cass off the side of his bed. She was still fast asleep and in her underwear when she was suddenly awakened by the commotion. As she picked herself off the floor, Arcade laid the Elder on the bed.

"What the Hell is all of this?" she asked a little embarassed due to her lack of clothes.

"Boone spotted him out in the Mojave. He's still kicking but barely." Cowboy answered as he watched her wrestle on a plaid shirt and tie her hair back into a ponytail. Raul noticed the partial dressed cowgirl then raised an inquisitive eyebrow towards the Cowboy.

"Okay, he seems to be stabilizing. I still don't like his chances." Arcade issued his medical opinion, "Give him an hour's rest. I'll come back in and see what his condition is." Raul and Arcade left the room first, with Cowboy and Cass behind them. She had gotten dressed and placed a hand on Cowboy's shoulder.

"Isn't that the Father McNamor or whoever that led the Brotherhood?" she asked in a hushed tone.

"Elder McNamara, yes." Cowboy replied in a stoic tone.

"Well, Are we going to tell Veronica? Who do you want to tell her?" Cass asked more questions. Cowboy lowered his head,

"I'll tell her. She never approved of the Brotherhood's doctrine, but he was part of her only family." he whispered out loud. They walked out onto the grounds of the farm. Arcade was leaning against a porch railing. "Let me know when he is able to speak." Cowboy asked o the good doctor. He looked out to see Veronica leaning against the tire of Raul' s truck reading a book, with the morning's chores completed. The walk through the corn field towards the truck felt like it was 4 miles long. All the way Cowboy debated how he wanted to break the news, and more important, how would she react? He finally made it there and took a knee next to the Brotherhood scribe.

"What's up?" Veronica asked as she looked up from her book. Cowboy huffed in contemplation and spoke softly.

"We pulled someone out of the Mojave this morning. Got real beat up."

"I saw you and the guys dragging him in. Looked like he insulted a Super Mutant's mother." she made a joke at the injured man's condition. Cowboy looked away from her eyes as he delivered the news.

"It was Elder McNamara, from your old chapter." when he finished the revelation Veronica stared at him silently with wide eyes and mouth agape. "He's still breathing, but even with Arcade's help, the odds aren't good." Cowboy kept his head down to the ground as if the dirt of the Mojave was infinitely interesting, unable to look her square in those watery eyes. She remained silent, her head digesting the news. To her McNamara was the stern grandfather, not her most favorite person to see, but a mentor nonetheless. Cowboy said nothing during this long pause. Finally Veronica simply ran off whimpering towards the barn. Cowboy raised an arm and thought about speaking, but no words came to mind. More time passed on the farm. They all occupied themselves with tasks around the farm, waiting to hear the verdict on McNamara. Raul had found an alternator, his truck a step closer to running again. Veronica hid away in the Brahmin stalls most the day, sleeping on the straw next to the beasts. Cowboy attended to the fields with Cass. Raul's Spanish voice echoed from underneath the truck.

"So boss, it's none of my business, but do you make it a habit of keeping beautiful women in your bed?" his accent sounded of humor and respect.

"That's still news to you? Thought you were our 'all knowing, wise one'." Cass deflected the question with more humor.

"I got to be this old man you see today by not asking too many questions." Raul defended his ignorance, then paused for a second, "and by standing in too many pools of glowing water." the ghoul flawlessly delivered his dry wit.

"You look better than my liver will at that age." Cass responded with her trademark cynical humor.

Arcade, who had been checking on McNamara throughout the day, finally walked onto the front porch as the sun set across the canyons to the West. Everyone present stared at him waiting for what news he brought.

"He's starting to speak a little, but it's still tough for him." Everyone looked around at each other and then towards the barn. Cowboy looked over to ED-E.

"Go get her." the eyebot hovered with purpose towards the barn. After a few minutes, the robot returned with Veronica. Cowboy followed the two as they entered the farmhouse behind Arcade. McNamara was still laying in the bed, one hand laid over the bandaged wound. He looked up at Veronica and through his pain he smiled.

"Veronica..." his words were winded and labored, "have you changed the world yet?" he muttered out with a wheezing laugh. This man was a sharp contrast to the stone cold McNamara that ran the bunker, must've been the pain meds.

"I'm doing jut fine. Helping these people." Veronica replied quietly.

"Good, good." he mumbled out into a cough.

"What happened to you?" Veronica asked as a tear trickled down her smooth face onto her robe. Cowboy jumped in at this moment.

"What did happen Elder? Who were those men in the power armor?" Cowboy tried to connect the dots while the Elder was aware. The injured man moved his head over with great effort to look at tall man in the black hat.

"Ah, the Courier..." he recognized the weathered man, "or should I say, 'the Cowboy'." he lightly chuckled again, then his eyes went cloudy and his face dark. "Those men you saw." his voice now gravely, "They were the forgotten, raising again." his sentences became more disjointed. Cowboy didn't understand what the Elder was getting at, but the man continued on. "... took over the bunker. The forgotten, came from..." his words got quieter as he faded, "... came from the East... in force. The forgotten." with those words Elder McNamara leaned his head back into the pillow, coughed some more, and went silent as the sun set. Arcade looked up from the bedside with an expression that confirmed what they all thought. Veronica latched herself to Cowboy, her head buried into his duster. He put a comforting arm around her. ED-E hovered down in sadness. Cowboy walked the tearful Veronica to her room and put the girl to bed. After that, Cowboy walked across the dark grounds to find Cass talking with Raul at his truck.

"Cass. Get a shovel." Cowboy mumbled the order with sorrow. For most the night, those two dug a hole in the back side of the lot, with ED-E providing work light. With the hole dug Cowboy and Cass pulled the corpse of their bed and started the walk out back to the freshly dug hole. When they got back to it under ED-E stood Veronica wrapped up in her bed sheet. "What are you doing out of bed?" Veronica looked up at the duo with the body.

"I want to be here for the burial." she demanded.

"Not sure how you do things in that bunker, but out here in the Mojave, a burial is just covering up with dirt to keep the coyotes away." more of Cass' cynicism, which Cowboy didn't appreciate. He looked over to Veronica.

"Do you want to say anything for him?" Cowboy asked. She shook her head 'no'. Cass and Cowboy laid the body down with care. Before they started to refill the hole, Veronica laid a note with the Elder. Cowboy didn't bring it up in conversation. With the burial complete, Cowboy didn't feel up to sleeping in a bed just inhabited by a dead man, so he shared Cass' bed.


	3. The Forgotten, Found

Another morning came to the Mojave. The farm's atmosphere was much more somber this morning. Among the silence of the Mojave came the cranking of an engine. Everyone looked to see Raul getting closer to a functioning truck.

"Pedazo de mierda!" the old ghoul shouted an insult at the truck in Spanish, then he addressed the rest of the farm, "It's getting close, engine's still a little sticky." There was a collective cheer from the farm, the silence started to break a little. Cowboy went to Veronica who had spent all night next to McNamara's grave.

"Listen, I know he meant family to you, but what did Elder McNamara mean by 'the forgotten' is that some Brotherhood thing?" Veronica stood up.

"I'm not really sure. They didn't privilege me to all their juicy secrets." Her sarcasm still present in her grieving, "But I think we need to go back to Hidden Valley. I think the Brotherhood's in trouble." Veronica voiced her opinion with a little fire in her voice.

"From 'the forgotten in the East'. Who are they? Are their Brotherhood chapters east of here?" Cowboy continued his questioning.

"There's a chapter way out East in DC that made some racket about 8 years ago taking on the Enclave, they're still strong out there. Rather than that, I don't know of many other prominent chapters, there's one in Texas. If there's a forgotten chapter, then I wouldn't know it, hence it's 'forgotten'. Can we go check on Hidden Valley now?" Veronica's eyes watered up again and Cowboy was fighting hard to resist the allure.

"Tomorrow, we'll check tomorrow. I have too many things to do today around and I'm not letting you venture out there on your own. If Hidden Valley is in trouble you'd be overwhelmed by those power armored goons." As Cowboy finished up his response the sound of a cranking engine filled the air again followed by more Spanish swear words. Cowboy decided to go see Raul.

"I'm close. Just need to loosen up a few pistons in the motor enough to get it to fire and it should run." Raul talked shop with the Cowboy. They both started looking under the hood, Cowboy lending a hand to the ghoul. Cass had met some traders up front again today, an early morning caravan. "Here, hand me that wrench, boss." Raul held out his zombified hand. The two were joined by a third body. Cowboy and Raul looked up to see Boone standing next to them, with rifle in hand. "This can't be good. What do you want, shades?" Raul mentioned at Boone's rare appearance. The anti-social man turned towards Cowboy.

"That trader out front. He isn't alone." Boone's message was vague. Cowboy tipped up his black hat and peered over his Aviators.

"What do you mean?" he asked of Boone's report.

"He's got at least three men behind those rocks, another two there, and two on the eastern butte."

"Sounds like an awful lot of men for a caravan detail." Cowboy noted. "If you think they mean ill will against us why didn't you just take the shot? Seven men, doesn't sound like a challenge to the great sharpshooter, Boone." Boone did not appreciate the tone of Cowboy's voice.

"You're right, I would, but they are wearing power armor." the fact hit Cowboy like a lead brick. He turned and ran towards Cass at the gate, Rex followed his master. He was half way there when the trader grabbed Cass around the neck and put a gun to her head.

"Stop right there!" the trader yelled. Cowboy stopped dead in his track, Rex hunched his back and growled at the man, and everyone on the farm froze as they noticed the situation. Soon men from all over the area appeared, surrounding the farm. They wore power armor painted a deep red with blue stripes running down the shoulders across the chest like scratches from a Deathclaw. The motley crew of companions were outgunned and outnumbered. Another man appeared next to the trader who had Cass at gunpoint. His power armor was navy blue with an orange scratch pattern. He walked into the farm grounds and tossed his black shoulder cape off his arm.

"Hello farmer!" the distinctive man greeted the Cowboy. His words echoed from a straight, square jaw lined with a chin strip beard. "We know that the failed Elder McNamara of the Mojave chapter survived his wounds and you are harboring him. Turn him over to us now and I will leave your farm in peace."

"You are too late... what exactly is your name, pardner?" Cowboy quizzed the distinguished man. The man replied with a hearty, pompous chuckle.

"I am Johnathan Latham. Head Paladin of the Midwestern Brotherhood." This meant nothing to Cowboy, but Veronica raised her hands to hide her gasping mouth.

"Well Mr. Latham. As I said, you're too late. The Elder passed away in the night." Cowboy stood tall and his voice stayed calm.

"Is that so?" Latham looked around the ramshackle farm, "How do I know this? He could've healed from his wounds and you sent him on his way." Latham surmised.

"I'll gladly show you where we buried him out back." Cowboy motioned with his thumb to the lot behind the house.

"That's quite fine. I've set foot as far into this farm as I'd like." Latham's booming voice carried an air of snobbery.

"Then you'll have to take my word for it and let my friend there go." Cowboy pointed now towards Cass, who still had a gun against her head. A smug smile spread across Latham's thick jaw.

"I think not. We'll just take your friend here with us." he looked over to the captive trader, "and do what we see fit with her." Cowboy scratched the back of his head in contemplation.

"See, I'm not one to argue with a man in power armor, so I'd let you take her. But this feller behind me in the beret. It doesn't matter to him who you are. He ain't going to let you walk out of here with her." Cowboy now wore the smug grin. His statement made the rest of the power armored goons tense up and raise their laser rifles hesitantly. Latham simply crossed his massive arms, waiting. Silence filled the farm again as everyone's eyes were on Boone. Cass was still struggling against the trader, who pushed the gun closer into her skin. The only movement on the farm was the desert grass in the wind. The Mexican standoff was ended when Boone, in one fluid motion, raised up his rifle, sighted in the trader's head, and took the shot. As the trader fell, Cass ran like Hell away from the power armored soldiers ducking behind Raul's truck. Latham's smug turned to anger.

"Burn it down, burn it all down!" he commanded his troops. The soldiers raised their rifles to fire and filled the air with red beams. The farmers all ducked behind the nearest cover. Boone raised his rifle again and sighted in Latham, but the commander fell back into the ranks of soldiers as they flooded into the farm. Cass bolted from the truck to the farmhouse to grab her shotgun. Cowboy pulled out his .44 and started lead down range, but the bullets only dented the thick armor. Raul's .44 had no better luck in penetrating the armor. ED-E hovered over Cowboy, firing high concentrated energy bolts at the invaders. The bolts burned into the soldiers causing some to back down. Bolts of laser burned into the rocks and the side of Raul's truck, adding to the rust stains covering it already. Cass finally came from the house with a large duffel bag. She ducked behind the porch railing next to Arcade and handed him his plasma pistol from the duffel bag. The floating blobs of green goo made a bigger impact against the armored foes. Cass kept her head down and made it over to Veronica who was hiding behind a large crate.

"Here, go get even." Cass recommended in a straight voice as she handed Veronica her ballistic fist. Veronica started towards the closest power armored soldier, with Cass behind her and Rex at her side. The heavy metal fist crunched into the armor and the shotgun blast knocked the soldier down. Cass reached the rock Cowboy was using for cover. She pulled out his brush gun from the bag and handed it to him, the feathers on it's engraved stock tussling in the wind. Cowboy holstered his magnum and used the rifle to keep the Brotherhood back with better results. Cass grabbed her shotgun and the duffel bag was empty. With the farmers armed the fight started to even itself up. Cowboy's brush gun got a soldier in the shoulder causing him to drop his rifle. Veronica knocked back a soldier as he stumbled he came into range of Cass' shotgun. The pellets dug into the armor, knocking the man down. Rex chased a soldier out of his cover and latched onto his leg. As the soldier tried to shoot the robot dog, Cowboy took a shot at his head. The bullet hit his mark and the soldier fell with a thud. Boone finally caught glimpse of Latham in the mass of soldiers. He steadied his scope and fired a round towards Latham's head. The bullet grazed Latham's cheek causing the built man to clutch his bloodied face. With all they were doing, Cowboy and company were losing the fight to the superior warriors.

"Raul, try the truck. We need to get out of here." Cowboy yelled through all the gunfire and explosions.

"The engine still ain't working boss." Raul explained in the middle of shooting.

"Try it anyway. I've got faith it'll work. " Raul climbed up into the cab and tried to start the truck again. The motor cranked, but didn't fire. Raul waited and tried again, the motor kept turning over. He had to duck quickly as a laser beam passed through the windows.

"Third times a charm." Raul said to himself as he cranked the engine one more time. The engine turned over and over, then it finally fired and the truck roared to life, black smoke poured out of it's tail pipe. Cowboy saw the truck roar to life,

"Everyone to the truck!" He yelled to the hunkered down companions. They all quickly sprang from their cover and booked it towards the rumbling vehicle. Arcade hopped into the bed, followed by Cass, Cowboy, and Boone. Raul started the truck into first gear and headed towards the farm gate which was thick with Brotherhood. ED-E followed over the truck providing cover with his laser cannon. As the truck rumbled by, Rex jumped up into the bed with the others and Veronica scurried into the passenger seat. With everyone on board, Raul revved up the truck and jumped to 3rd gear. The truck jerked a little and thundered at a fast speed. The Brotherhood soldiers ceased fire as they beheld the spectacle of a moving truck. Everyone was in awe of something which was never seen before in all of the wastelands. As they passed through the gate, the Brotherhood soldiers came to their senses and started to fire again. The truck sped off and quickly disappeared into the Eastern canyon.

"Everyone okay?" Cowboy took a tally of those in the bed. Besides a few bruises and scorch marks from lasers that got too close, everyone was no worse for wear. "Alright, I think it's time to check up on Hidden Valley."


	4. The Guiding Light

After a small drive through the canyon the truck finally found the main road and Raul took them towards the Hidden Valley bunker. The roads of the Mojave were rough and pitted, with pot holes that were several feet wide. Raul may have got the truck running, but it wasn't in mint condition. The suspension was still pretty rusted, so every bump in the road was felt by the passengers. The road to Hidden Valley took the truck through Camp Searchlight, a fact Cowboy was aware of. He had cleared out most the feral ghouls there, but for every one you put down, two seem to show up. Cowboy looked forward across the vast expanse to see the tower of Searchlight's airport off to the South.

"Coming up on Camp Searchlight. Better divvy out the Rad-X." Raul shouted from the driver seat. Arcade opened up his doctor bag in the cramped bed and handed out rations of Rad-X for everyone to take. After downing the pills, everyone could feel the radiation in the air. It hung like a thick, invisible fog making breathing hard, they had entered the threshold of Searchlight. Cowboy looked out at the empty town. The NCR and traders went around the damned town. They were almost through the town when Cass pointed out something.

"What's all that?" everyone looked to see a small army of feral ghouls appearing from the green haze of the town. Cowboy leaned his head back in exhaustion.

"No rest for the wicked. Maybe we can get out of here before they catch wind of us." Cowboy said apathetically. Arcade looked at him with a nervous look.

"You know what they'll do right?" He asked as he prepared to start a lecture.

"Yes, I know what they're capable of. I've busted enough of their heads." Cowboy smugged out, then he leaned up to Raul, "No offense meant."

"None taken boss. I've no sympathy for the poor bastards." The noise of the truck was enough to catch the ferals' attention. Soon droves of feral ghouls erupted from the fog and surrounded the truck. "Boss, I can't get forward. Scare them off me." Boone took that as a cue to start firing off the side of the truck bed. There were more ghouls than what Boone could kill, they started reaching into the truck bed. The hissing of ghouls surrounded the truck. Arcade had to keep one from climbing in by pushing it down with his shoe. Cass' shotgun did a much better job of dispersing the cluster of ghouls. Rex started to gnaw on the arm of a feral that got too close.

"ED-E, burn us a path out of here." Cowboy told the hovering robot. The jolly eyebot moved to the truck hood and fired indiscriminately into the horde. A rotten arm grabbed Veronica and tried to drag her out of the cab. She screamed and scratched at the feral, but it was indifferent. Cowboy gave the monster peace with a .44 slug to the head. Veronica quickly scurried back into the cab and rolled up a window that wasn't there. Another ghoul tried to latch onto the truck, Arcade grabbed a needle from his bag and injected the ghoul with something that caused it to jump back. The feral started to hiss and scream in agony, then fell down.

"What the Hell was that?" Cass asked in shocked as she reloaded her 12 gauge. Arcade looked over at her as he took a terrified deep breaths.

"I found out ghouls have an adverse reaction to a mix of Turbo and Vodka. Learned it from this poor alcoholic ghoul that came into the fort." Cass shrugged, not challenging the good doctor's logic. ED-E was making slow progress in clearing the road, and Raul did his best to keep the truck rolling, even if it was a slow roll. The ghouls started charging into the truck causing it to rock back and forth. Those stuck in the truck bed tried to keep the ghouls away, but there were too many. Raul decided to jam the truck into a higher gear and see how far he could get by running over the monsters. When the truck started up, it backfired causing a loud pop that sounded out over the gunfire. The foreign sound scared the ghouls away from the truck. They stepped back 10 feet and kept their distance as they circled the truck. Raul took the opening to speed off and floored the rust bucket. It sputtered for awhile but eventually complied. The thick radiated fog started to subsided and the crew could breathe easier again, a sign that Searchlight was behind them. The rest of the trip went uneventful. While trucking down the dilapidated roads Cowboy would notice a stray raider here and there watching the moving truck from afar, not sure what to make of it. Most the creatures of the Mojave avoided the noisy contraption all together.

"So what does this do?" Veronica had been quizzing Raul about the truck, trying to learn all she could.

"That's the AC button." Raul explained with a hefty accent.

"Okay, what's AC stand for?" Veronica asked innocently. Raul looked over at her with caring eyes to her blissful ignorance.

"Air Conditioning. And before you ask what that is. It's a ventilation system that cools the cab if the weather's hot."

"Then why don't we turn it on? Can't you see the sweat on my face?" Veronica reasoned as she reached towards the button.

"No, wait." Raul lifted his hand from the wheel to stop her from pushing the button, but the old ghoul was too slow. When Veronica pushed the button, dust and dirt blasted out of the vents and filled the cab. Both of them started to cough and Raul had to strain his eyes to see the road. "I haven't fixed that yet." Raul coughed out as he reached over and clicked it off. Veronica looked at the vaquero with big puppy dog eyes to say she's sorry, Raul just rolled his in response. "We're coming up on the turn to Hidden Valley, means we'll be going off road." Raul shouted out the window to the Cowboy. The man in the hat waved in acknowledgment. The truck tore off the road and started across the open desert. The ride on the desert sands was much more comfortable than the bumpy paved roads.


	5. Ain't No Valley Low Enough

The crew stopped the truck near the fence. A battered sign that dangled off the rusted fence read 'Hidden Valley Bunker'. Cowboy looked towards the valley that had a faint sandstorm reducing visibility, then back at the people in the truck.

"Cass, Boone. We'll go see what the bunker looks like." Cowboy waved out his hand. Veronica stepped up from the group of people.

"I'm coming with you." her young voice was stern. Cowboy looked back at her with a straight mouth surrounded by his mustache sideburns.

"I can't guarantee you'd like what we find. Those Midwesterners shot up our farm and killed McNamara. You're better staying here." Cowboy fathered her. She started to raise her hand and her temper. She opened her mouth to speak, but Cowboy raised a palm in silence, "This isn't for debate. Raul keep an eye on her. We'll be back." Cowboy, Cass, and Boone waded through the patchy fence and into the dusty storm. "We're getting close to the bunkers. Get down on your bellies." Cowboy ordered to his two followers. A small ridge over the valley bunkers served as the vantage point for the prone trio. They could barely make out the shape of the bunker the Brotherhood called home through the sand. Boone raised his scope for an enhanced view while Cowboy pulled out a pair of binoculars. They kept trained on the Brotherhood bunker. After minutes of waiting, the blast door moved apart and six armored Brotherhood soldiers exited. They were in constant view of the gazing Cowboy and Boone. As they looked upon the soldiers they noticed a disconcerning fact. These Brotherhood soldiers were not dressed in the typical slate gray armor, but the red armor that distinguished the Midwestern Brotherhood chapter. Two of the soldiers were dragging the bodies of two unrecognizable scribes.

"Well, I recommend we go no farther." Boone grumbled from behind his rifle scope. Cass squinted her eyes at the marching soldiers.

"Hang on. Let me see those." She ordered as she pulled the binoculars from Cowboy's hands. She held them to her face and confirmed her suspicion. "That one there in the middle." She used a finger to point at one of the armored marchers, "He's that one asshole. Paladin Hardin." Cowboy took the binoculars back and looked for the Paladin. Boone also noticed him.

"I'm going to take a shot in the dark." Boone started till Cass interrupted.

"Was, was that just an attempt at a pun Boone?" she smiled at the commando. He responded with a furrowed brow, "you know, because you're a sniper... who shoots a lot of people..." Cass tried to explain the joke, but Boone ignored her and continued.

"But, I'm guessing that Mr. Hardin decided to join up with the Midwestern chapter when they busted down the door." Boone rationalized.

"He was a slimy, double crossing, son of a..." Cass started in, but was interrupted by Cowboy this time.

"I'm guessing he isn't the only one that picked service over death. Let's get out of here before they spot us. Nothing we can do here." They slowly pushed down from the ridge, trying to avoid detection. Once they were certain they had escaped the Midwesterners gaze they got to their feet and walked toward the truck.

"So, how do we tell Veronica this one?" Cass asked that same question again.

"I think it's your turn isn't it since I had to do it last time." Cowboy tried to put the burden on the caravaner. Her face was of determination to not break the news.

"You did a fine job last time. Why mess with perfection?" Cass tried to swindle him. Cowboy shook his head 'no'. "I'll give you my last bottle of moonshine if you tell her instead of me." she tried to barter him. Cowboy thought silently on that. He did enjoy her homemade moonshine. An extended hand signified that Cowboy took the offer and Cass filled it with a bottle of shine. As Cowboy stuffed the bottle into his satchel he approached Veronica. His dark Aviators couldn't hide the sadness in his eyes. She looked up at him and her face matched his. She had to embrace Cowboy in a hug to hide the tears that now dried on his duster.

"They're gone. Latham's men killed all those who didn't follow him." it hurt Cowboy to utter those words to the distraught girl. Veronica stepped back, wrinkled her nose in an attempt to stop the tears and buck up.

"So," she asked with a waver in her voice, "What do we do now?" Cowboy rubbed his chin searching for an answer.

"We need to find out about this Midwestern Chapter. Why it's 'forgotten', who this Johnathan Latham is, and what's his goals? I got a feeling we haven't seen the last of that man."

"Well the best place to learn about the Brotherhood would've been the records in our bunker." Veronica said it knowing it was too late for that.

"What about the NCR? They've got a record with the Brotherhood. We've got connections there still." Cass dangled the idea out there. Cowboy shrugged.

"It'll have to do." Raul then entered the conversation.

"Hey, boss. Can we get back in the truck now? I hear radscorpions closing in." Everyone got deathly quiet at that comment. They listened, and sure enough the sound of hissing and clicking pincers started to echo through the valley. ED-E got excited and started to play his favorite tune for battle, a little Western melody.

"Shhh!" Cowboy looked up to the excited robot with a finger to his lips, he then turned to Raul, "Let's get going then." Everyone loaded up into the truck, with Arcade taking shotgun this time. Raul started up the old engine and it let out an awful backfire. Everyone listened as the hissing got closer. "They heard us, let's move." Cowboy grunted up to Raul. The truck started down the canyon pass they had traveled when entering Hidden Valley. As the truck drew closer to where the narrow chasm opened up to the expansive desert, a giant radscorpion appeared and positioned itself in the gap, blocking the truck. Cowboy stood up in the bed and looked over the cab to see the creature in the way. Cass climbed up next to him with her shotgun already loaded.

"Well, shit." she uttered before firing off a volley of buckshot. It struck the hide of the arachnid. It didn't cut very deep, just upset the mutant bug. It started to rear up it's tail when Raul threw the truck in reverse. The stinger smashed into the earth just in front of the fender. As Raul tried to back out of the canyon another giant scorpion crawled into the canyon pinning the truck in between two angry tails. Cass and Cowboy kept shooting at the radscorpion ahead of them. It slowly crept down the canyon. The rear scorpion jabbed it's tail. The stinger went through the tail gate of the truck and got stuck there. The sudden impact of the tail into the tail gate caused Veronica to scream and Rex to bark at it in defense. The scorpion tried to free it's stinger, wiggling the massive muscles in it's tail back and forth, causing the truck to toss and turn. Cowboy had to turn around and deal with the scorpion rocking the truck. He shot another round from his rifle and it hit the radscorpion in his right legs. ED-E joined in, firing short blasts of energy to lessen the scorpion's thrashing. The scorpion in front took another strike at the truck coming inches from it's rusted metal bumper. Cowboy turned around to shoot at it. He was trying to fight on two sides and failing at it.

"Boone feel free to shot anytime now." Cowboy yelled sarcastically.

"I shoot long range. When the enemy's this close it's a waste of sniper ammo. Besides, you two can handle it." Boone's quiet voice barely broke over the sound of fighting.

"This is why no one likes you Boone!" Cass yelled in response to his answer. Veronica decided to join in. She secured the ballistic fist on her wrist and using the tail gate as a push off she leaped from the truck using her height advantage to allow gravity to pull her towards the frantic radscorpion, fist first. The metal glove hit hard on the plating of the scorpion's head. The shotgun round fired out with deadly force. The scorpion's strength faded fast and finally it could not thrash it's tail stuck in the truck around anymore. Veronica walked over to the tail gate and used her gloved hand to rip the tail from the truck before climbing in the bed. Up front, the rounds from Cowboy and Cass' gun were starting to wear on the other radscorpion. Cowboy took the time to sight in a shot and aimed for one of the creature's beady eyes. The bullet hit it's mark, busting the yellow ball. The scorpion hissed a painful hiss and scurried back up the wall of the canyon in retreat, ED-E's lasers chased after it. Raul took the opening and floored the truck causing Cowboy to fall flat on his back in the old bed, with Cass landing on top of him. Rex came over and licked the two in their faces.

"This is kinda comfortable." Cowboy said with a smirk. Cass gave him a devilish grin as she climbed off him and petted the cyber dog. The rusted truck finally exited the canyon and made for the bumpy main roads.


	6. Eccentric Personalities

As the truck returned to the bumpy main roads Cowboy looked over towards Veronica.

"So, now we know this 'forgotten chapter' is the Midwestern Brotherhood. That name ring any bells to you?" She pulled back her tattered scribe hood to look at the Cowboy.

"Not really. The most I heard when I was in schooling were they were a legend, even mythical. A chapter that started in Chicago and expanded till they reached Colorado. Once that happened they fell off the map, never heard from again." Her eyes were stormy as she told this story. Cowboy watched the clouds roll across her brown eyes, not sure if what he heard was the whole story.

"How does a whole chapter disappear? You guys seem awful connected to each other. Figured you guys would notice when one goes off the map." Cowboy pressed her.

"We do, but the Midwestern chapter. Well, they aren't a typical chapter." she air quoted the word 'typical'. "They were rebels, not really keen on following the Brotherhood doctrine. They weren't concerned with hoarding technology. Some Brotherhood elders don't even consider the Midwesterners as a real Brotherhood branch. That's really all I've ever heard about them." the clouds still in her eyes.

"Well, hopefully the desk jockeys at the NCR can help us." Cowboy ended the conversation as the truck pulled up to McCarran Air Base. The soldiers guarding the gate looked upon the truck with confusion. They started to walk up to it hesitantly when Cowboy leaped over the side of the bed and raised a hand in recognition. The troops did recognize the iconic figure, he was a legend among the NCR.

"How did you get this truck running?" they asked.

"I've got the ghoul to thank for that." Cowboy pointed towards Raul, who waved his hand out the window, "He's a wizard with a wrench." The soldiers looked it over in interest and finally opened the gate to let the truck in. Cowboy walked ahead of it as the soldiers looked on at the truck in awe. As he walked towards the main hub, Cowboy heard stray gunfire from the direction of New Vegas. After the Cowboy helped take Hoover Dam, the NCR could finally focus on it's efforts in taking Vegas from Mr. House. House wasn't going to listen to the NCR trying to wedge him out with diplomacy, so eventually it led to fighting. The truck pulled into park as everyone headed into the building that once served as the McCarran airport before the War. The motley group wandered across the open airport floor towards the office of General Oliver. As they made the trek they could here the enlisted troops whispering to each other as they watched the Cowboy in the thick leather duster walk by with his band of companions. A group of young soldiers approached the traveling crew and asked in a sheepish voice,

"Can we get your autograph?" they asked as a paper and pen was thrusted at Cowboy. He grabbed it and tried to scribble down his name on the flimsy paper. Then they started to push the paper towards Boone, who stood as still as a statue. So they tried to get Veronica's signature. One of the soldiers spoke up, "And are you free later?" Before the blushing girl could reply Colonel Hsu appeared and shooed away the pestering troopers.

"Get back to your posts or you will all be on latrine duty. These people have better things to do." he ordered the soldiers as they quickly dispersed from the crew. Hsu then turned to the guests with a quizzical look, "So, what honor do we owe to a visit from the hero of Hoover Dam?" then he noticed Cass was with him, "Here to kill more of our trade caravan owners?" Cass mouthed a curse off her lips, before Cowboy answered.

"We need answers. We've come across a renegade chapter of the Brotherhood that attacked our farm. We were curious if you guys knew anything. Is Oliver around?" Cowboy asked.

"Nope, he's out at our Vegas forward post in Freeside dealing with House and his damned Securitrons and once again I am here, stuck in McCarran." the disappointment in Hsu's voice was palpable.

"A life of being stuck behind when all you want is to act. I know the feeling." Arcade gave company to Hsu's misery. "But is there anyway you can help us? We want to know what this Brotherhood chapter is up to." Arcade tried to level with Hsu. Hsu scratched the back of his neck.

"For the man who ended the battle of Hoover Dam, sure." Hsu waved him over to his office tucked into the corner of the airport, while the others stood outside. Hsu sat at his desk and fired up the computer terminal, "This about those hermits in Hidden Valley? Thought we squared everything away with them." Colonel Hsu recollected from his memory. Cowboy huffed as he took a seat in the office.

"Not the Hidden Valley guys. This is a completely different chapter. There any NCR reports about them? Men in red power armor?" Cowboy explained his need. Hsu curled his lip in contemplation, then typed away at some keys. Hsu read through a report that appeared.

"Well, here we are. Rangers at Outpost Zulu reported taking some stray fire from men in Brotherhood armor. Suppose you could run down there and see what they reported on." Hsu recommended a course of action.

"Outpost Zulu? Not sure I'm familiar with that one." Cowboy asked.

"We just put up Zulu after the Black Mountain Radio Station was cleared of super mutants." Cowboy thanked the military officer and headed out with a plan of action. He regrouped with the others.

"So, boss?" Raul had wondered what went down in the office. The sound of Arcade banging on a nearby Sunset machine echoed through the terminal as Raul asked the question.

"They've got one lead on what the Brotherhood might be up to. Apparently they attacked an outpost the NCR set up in the old Black Mountain Radio." the mention of that place put a scowl across Raul's face.

"I spent too many years in my long life in that Hell hole, boss. I don't feel a homecoming is in order." his Spanish accent a little raspy.

"You'll remember I saved you from that prison there, and put a bullet through Tabitha's head for good measure. There's no reason to worry up on that mountain." Cowboy tried to reason with him.

"When you get to be as old as I am places start to carry more memories than people. That place has a bad vibe, and always will." Raul stood stubbornly opposed.

"That just sounds like superstition." Boone gruffed out sarcastically. Raul squinted his scarred eyes at the soldier who was cleaning his rifle.

"Why don't we drag you back to Bitter Springs then?" Raul snarked at him. The old ghoul wasn't usually one to openly confront a man, but those rules change a bit when that man is Boone. That remark caused the sniper to lay his rifle on a bench and stand up towards Raul with a puffed chest.

"I made my peace with that." his grumbling voice hinting angry frustration.

"Peace, didn't think you knew that word." Raul kept pushing him. Cowboy stepped in between the two.

"Simmer down, both of you." his commanding voice boomed out. Boone didn't take kindly to that order.

"Don't bark at me like a colonel." and Raul showed no signs of backing down to a young smoothskin.

"Please, the long travel's getting to us, no need to fight among ourselves." Arcade pleaded from the side of the vending machine.

"Oh, shut up you pansy." Cass blurted out with a bottle in her hand. Arcade returned fire with a sharp remark.

"Not even 3 in the afternoon and you're already sauced, am I the pathetic one here?" Cass couldn't think of a comeback to outwit the educated doctor, so she replied with the next best thing, a punch in the nose. Everyone watched Arcade yelp in pain, Raul shrugged his shoulders and decided to seize the moment to land a punch on Boone's jaw.

"Damn it. Come on people." Cowboy said through a winded tone as he rubbed the back of his neck. Veronica stepped in between Raul and Boone, attempting to break up the fight. Boone grabbed the girl and tossed her out of the fray and throwing her to the airport floor. He then had to quickly duck another swing from the ghoul. While crouched, Boone landed a blow on Raul's bad knee. With Boone's military experience and Raul's decades of experience, the two matched each other blow for blow. Cowboy rolled his eyes as he watched Cass beat the snot out of Arcade. The doctor tried to block her blows, but years of bar fighting made her the superior in the scuffle. Cowboy took a running leap and tackled Cass to the ground. Her back smacked against the cold floor.

"Knock it off." He whispered to her as they picked themselves off the ground. Some NCR troopers heard the commotion and subdued the ghoul. The soldier that tried to subdue Boone was busted in the nose. The distraught soldier then raised his rifle and ordered Boone to desist. The sniper let out a silent growl and stood down. Cowboy walked over and helped Veronica off the floor.

"Thanks boys. I'll take it from here." Cowboy showed his gratitude to the soldiers for intervening. Then he walked over to Boone, "Get to the truck now." his voice was stern, then he looked towards Cass, "you too." They all started to walk out the doors towards the truck waiting outside. As Raul climbed into the driver seat Cowboy approached the door, "So, you're taking us to Black Mountain right?" Raul wiped a little glowing blood from his nose and shook his head 'yes' unenthusiastically. Cowboy climbed into the bed and sat next to Cass. She started to tip back a bottle of whiskey before Cowboy grabbed it from her hands. He took a quick swig of it then tossed it out of the bed, the liquid contents smashing on the ground. "That's enough for today." he told her.

"Ass." she replied under her breath.

"Drunkard." he whispered back. Their stare down turned into a smile. Cowboy didn't like being the bad guy, but he had to keep the eccentric personalities from strangling each other.


	7. Bad Day at Black Mountain

After a drive down an open Mojave road the natural monolith that served as Black Mountain came into view. As Raul's truck started the climb up the steep mountain slopes Arcade tossed the bottle of Sunset Sarsaparilla he'd been drinking from the bed. The mountain incline got steeper the farther they drove. The old truck's engine was struggling to climb the hill. Raul dropped it down a gear and tried to push her farther. His face was flared in nervous concentration as the engine rumbled a little more. Finally they hit a spot of steep mountain near the top that the truck couldn't climb. It's wheels spun on the mountain rock and smoke slowly started to pour from under the hood. Raul eased the truck back to a patch of flat land and shut off the lumbering beast. He quickly jumped out and popped the hood open, only to be hit with a blast of smoke. In a short time, Cowboy was next to Raul leaning on the edge of the hood.

"This as far as this rust bucket will go. Anymore and the engine will burn up. Then we'll really have a problem." Raul diagnosed the situation. Raul looked up the mountain to see the radio station. "You'll have to walk from here up the rest the mountain. I'll stay here and make sure we didn't do any fatal damage to the old girl." Raul declared as he searched for his tool box in the truck cab. Cowboy noticed the ghoul's difficulty with locating his tool box,

"Is it behind that conveniently placed rock over there?" Cowboy joked as he pointed to a stray rock in the road. Raul bent up from digging on the floor board and let out a soft, old man chuckle.

"That's a good one, boss. Really. Should take you on the road with humor like that." Raul replied in dry wit. The old vaquero bent back down and located the tool box hiding under his seat. Cowboy knew Raul was stalling to avoid returning to the place of his incarceration, so walked back to the truck bed.

"Grab your gear, we're walking from here on up." This got a groan from Veronica.

"I hated climbing this mountain the first time." she whined. Cowboy extended a hand for her to get out of the bed, but said nothing in response. The group started the steep climb up the last part of Black Mountain, leaving Raul to beat on the truck's motor. ED-E led the climbers as he simply hovered up the cliff. Veronica took a step on some loose stone and lost her footing, she started to tumble down the side until a strong hand caught her by the scruff of her robes. As the firm grasp pulled her back to her feet she saw it was Boone who had saved her the tumble. Everyone else had stopped climbing to watch the event. Veronica regained her footing and looked to thank Boone. His face did not change from it's usual stone expression, his eyes still a set, steely gaze behind his sunglasses. Once Veronica was under her own power he simply turned back to the mountain face and started to walk. Everyone else followed. They reached the gate to the newly opened Outpost Zulu. Cowboy unhitched the gate and sauntered in looking for the rangers. A ranger on the roof of the broadcast tower waved them over. The group shuffled into the cramped broadcast station that was already full of old radio junk. A ranger in veteran armor made his way through the mess to greet them.

"Can I help you folks?" he asked in a leveled voice.

"Heard you had trouble with some power armored goons. Came down here for details." Cowboy replied. The ranger rubbed his temples then shuffled through some papers piled up on a desk. After knocking several to the floor he found the one he was looking for.

"Here's the report." He handed the crumpled paper to Cowboy, "That's all I can tell you about it." Cowboy handed the report next to Arcade, who happened to be standing next to him.

"This is stuff we already heard. You can't tell us anymore?" Arcade pressed the veteran.

"Nope, that's everything we've got right there. They tried to fire a few pot shots at us, then moved along. I expect you'll be doing the same? This isn't a place for civilians to linger." the veteran's tone got serious.

"You do realize who we are, right?" Veronica perked up in youthful vigor. The veteran ranger looked over the people standing in his station, sizing them up.

"The start of a bad joke?" he huffed out. Veronica started to raise her ballistic fist before Arcade stopped her.

"We'll just be going then." he stated as he started to drag the vicious Veronica away. They all stood outside the broadcast station alone from the snobbish ranger.

"There's something he isn't telling us." Arcade issued as he waved the paper report in his hand.

"Ya think? Let me go bust his face." Veronica argued as she wretched her arm from Arcade's grasp. Veronica jogged towards the station door before anyone could stop her. Another ranger appeared next to the building with a sniper rifle in one hand, the other outstretched.

"Stop. Y'all want ta know all that happened? Come over here." he whispered in a vaguely Southern accent. The group sneaked over towards the man. They all huddled in a shadowy corner outside the broadcast station. "The captain ain't telling ya everything. I'm up on that tower all the time. I saw what happened when them power armored tanks attacked. The day they attacked it was more than pot shots. Hit one of our boys and cut him bad, died the day after."

"That wasn't in the report at all." Arcade furiously skimmed the document through his thick glasses. The report mentioned no casualites.

"Nope, cause the captain. He's on thin ice with the NCR high brass, and if they knew he had another soldier killed they'd stick behind a desk for life, at best. So he left that out. I also was sumthing on another day. Them same red armored troops marched into a little town over that way, bout... 4 clicks." the sniper pointed towards the other side of the mountain. "When they got in there they killed a few people and took the rest with them, made them join up." the sniper finished his report. Cowboy looked off in the distance while in thought. Then he looked over to Veronica.

"So, I'm guessing that Latham and his men are marching across the Mojave to conquer it for the Midwestern Brotherhood. A total domination." Cowboy reasoned. Veronica concurred the thought.

"From the stories I heard about Latham that sounds about right." this response caused Cowboy to tilt his head.

"Thought you never heard of this guy. That you barely knew anything about the whole forgotten chapter." he grilled her. Veronica looked towards the ground with a sheepish smile and scratched in the dirt with the tip of her worn boots. She looked back up at him with one arm holding her other one down across her chest.

"Well, I may have done some more research about them that the Brotherhood didn't know about." she said, her cheeks red with embarrassment.

"And you didn't think that it was all worth a mention?" Arcade buzzed in as he threw down the relatively useless report.

"Why don't you tell us the whole story then, girl?" Cowboy's tone was fatherly. She dropped her hood down and started to tell the story.

"The Midwestern Chapter did start in Chicago and expand west to Colorado. When they first started to fray into Colorado Johnathan Latham led the chapter with a fleet of airships. They got shot down. Latham was assumed dead in the crash. Turns out that wasn't the case. He survived and wandered into a camp of super mutants. He wasn't of right mind when he challenged their leader, but you saw him. That mountain of a man beat down the leader and took control of the mutants. Farther down the road and the Brothers that did survive the crash find an old Pre-War NORAD base in the mountain, a Vault 0. It was run by a crazy computer AI called the Calculator. Before they got deep in the base they ran into Latham and his mutants. After a long fight, the mutants and Latham were killed, at least he was presumed to be dead. That's the story's end. I swear." Veronica bewildered them all with the extravagant tale.

"But, Latham did survive and what, took back his control as the leader of the Midwestern Brotherhood?" Arcade tried to guess the story's end.

"And now this nut job is trying to take over all that he can." Cowboy finished the thought up. He turned back to the sniper, who was staring in awe at the story, "Thanks for the help soldier." He bucked the soldier up on the shoulder, then turned back to the others. "So what do we do now? Can't let Latham terrorize the Mojave."

"Chased out Caesar. Just trading one tyrant for another." Arcade waxed philosophically, "Guess war never changes, does it?" Before anyone could reply to that fire erupted on the radio station.

"Get to your posts men! We're under attack!" the orders spread across the open base from the rude ranger the Cowboy met earlier. The crew pulled out their weapons and ran towards the gunfire. Cass ducked for cover and peeked over to see the attackers.

"It's more Brotherhood assholes." she yelled out to the others. Cowboy looked to see it was indeed men in red power armor charging up the hill. ED-E laid down a volley of laser fire. The shots that hit the charging armored goons knocked them off their feet, tumbling them down into other troopers until they hit the rock bottom. Cowboy looked down the line of his companions.

"We've got the high grounds, so give them Hell!" He issued an order. Cass popped up and fired off her shotgun, the others followed. Arcade's plasma round hit a trooper and melted the armor down. Boone surveyed the opposing army.

"No blue armor, don't think Latham's here."

"Well, kill the rest of them, send him a message!" Cowboy yelled back to the sniper. A stray laser hit one of the nearby rangers. The Brotherhood forces seemed to never end.

"Come on, you sons of..." the veteran ranger tried to yell out another rousing order before a laser blast hit him in the chest and ended his breath. Cowboy used his rifle to stagger another soldier. Rex was off to his left and started to bark at the Cowboy. He looked at the dog.

"What is it boy?" He looked past the cyber dog to see Raul at the bottom of a slope trying to hold off Midwesterners. Cowboy looked back to the radio station to see the rangers were faltering under the Brotherhood onslaught. "Alright guys. We have to get out of here. To the truck, Raul needs help. The other four followed him and Rex as they started down the cliff to help the overwhelmed ghoul. Two Brotherhood troopers appeared near Raul and opened fire. He ducked under the truck, more lasers cutting through the rusty frame. A third appeared on his flank and shot Raul in the belly, the ghoul collapsed next to the truck. Cowboy cracked the skull of one trooper, Boone put a bullet in the throat of another, and Cass knocked the third back down the mountain. Arcade rushed to the fallen ghoul and examined the fresh wound.

"He's hit, but it isn't fatal." Arcade diagnosed. Raul coughed a little and spoke in a winded tone.

"I can't drive that truck like this." Cowboy flared his nostrils while he calculated strategy in his head.

"Alright, help Raul in the bed. I'll drive this thing." The others helped the ghoul into the bed while Cowboy sat in the driver's seat. Once he got settled in, it dawned on Cowboy he had no idea how to drive a truck. Raul was the only one who could drive it due to his pre-War experience, no one else could. Veronica climbed into the passenger seat.

"Do you know what you're doing?" she asked in desperation.

"Not the foggiest." he replied in a tone too match. She rolled her eyes at the Cowboy's lack of skill.

"Okay, I picked up a few things from Raul, switch me seats." Cowboy and Veronica tried to navigate a seat switch in a hail of laser fire. Veronica got comfortable, pushed in the clutch, turned the key, and tried to shove it in reverse. The transmission grinded as it went back into reverse, the truck slowly rolling down the hill. Veronica pushed down on the brakes causing the truck to spin in place. Once the truck pointed down the mountain she tried to jam it into 3rd gear, but the shifter was stuck. She fought with it till she realized she hadn't pushed the clutch in again. The laser fire was getting more accurate and the people in the bed were getting more agitated. She pushed the clutch, jammed it into 3rd and floored the gas. The engine petered out a little then jumped to life.

"She's going to wreck the tranny doing that." Raul huffed to himself in the back of the truck. The old rust bucket started going down the mountain faster than Veronica could handle it. A sharp turn was ahead of them, but she couldn't slow down for it in time. The truck instead leaped over the edge and caught some air time. The world seemed to slow down as the truck flew through the air. ED-E let out a high pitched whistle in appreciation of the awesomeness of that event. Finally everything came down and the truck bashed against the hard ground making some noises that didn't sound healthy and caused Raul to grunt. Everyone in the bed was jumbled around and Cowboy's head bashed into the roof of the truck causing his hat to fall to the floor. Veronica, her hands gripping the wheel with white knuckles and sweat beading off her face, steadied out the truck as it swerved across the Mojave. Cowboy, clutching his head in pain, looked back to see the Black Mountain Radio Station engulfed in fire.


	8. Camp on the Open Range

Veronica kept her foot to the floor and the truck did it's best to keep up. The Brotherhood couldn't keep up with the truck's tires. The soldiers didn't try to pursue them. Half way across the open wasteland the truck sputtered and died, rolling to a slow stop in the middle of no man's land. Black smoke poured from the hood like a factory's chimney tower and a large thump was heard under the truck.

"And that was the transmission falling off." Raul grunted laying in the bed, his hand still clutching the laser wound. Veronica jumped out of the cab and went to the bed.

"Raul," she said in the most innocent tone she could muster, "I think the truck's broke." Raul just sighed and tilted his head back against the bed's metal floor.

"I know. I heard the transmission drop out." he wiggled his head over to look at the sorry girl, "and I'm guessing smoke's pouring out of the hood?" he surmised using his mechanical know how, she shook her head weakly. He let out a loud exhausted breath. "Ah, over 200 years on this Earth and you're going to be what does me in girl." She smiled sheepishly at the exhausted ghoul.

"Sorry." She whimpered. Raul cracked an open half smile and coughed a little due to his wound.

"Alright, that's enough talking for you. Time for some medicine." Arcade issued in a doctor's tone as he dug out some stimpaks from his bag. Cowboy had stood himself at the other side of the truck bed.

"Well, we aren't going anywhere. Our truck's busted and so is our mechanic. Night's about to fall, so we make camp here." With that everyone piled out of the truck and started to set up camp. Boone climbed up to the roof, concerned with being ever vigilant. Veronica used her fist to hammer in two stakes and tied a tarp across it, attaching it to the bed, making a makeshift lean-to. Cowboy shooed Rex, who went to lay in the shade of the truck, and threw some wood scattered around the desert into a pile. "ED-E, would you do the honors?" Cowboy motioned for the robot. The eyebot hovered over and shot off a energy blast at the wood, starting a campfire. "Thanks buddy." The little robot enjoyed the compliment and decided to fire off a few more blasts into the fire, splintering the wood and sending little bits of fire across the camp. "ED-E! ED-E! That's enough!" Cowboy waved his arms at the little machine. ED-E stopped and let out a scolded beep. Arcade had not left Raul's side. The old ghoul was still laid up in the truck bed as night fell on the Mojave. The others sat around the fire, Cass was roasting hot dogs over the blazing fire.

"So we think this Latham bastard is trying to rule the world." Cass asked, putting a hint of disbelief in the end of that sentence.

"Must you swear every time you speak?" Arcade ease dropped from the truck bed.

"You want me to bust your damn nose again?" Cass threatened him. He raised a hand and went back to tending Raul.

"Anyways, he wants to kill us all and rule the leftovers. What are we going to do exactly?" Cass finished her statement.

"We just saw his boys take down a Ranger outpost. It's safe to assume he's already got a big army following him. We got to get back to McCarran and make the NCR get prepped and ready to fight when Latham makes a big move." Cowboy reasoned after swallowing down a chunk of gecko meat.

"What if he never marches in force?" Cass asked, "so far he's just been popping up in places here and there, killing a few people, burning some buildings, then fading into the winds again."

"From what we've learned about this Latham feller he'll want to move on from knocking off outposts and isolated towns to bigger goals, like Vegas or the Dam. He's power mad, but he's smart. Cutting the weakest links first." Cowboy dabbled in military tactics. "But until the grease monkey is back in shape we aren't doing much of anything. Best turn in for the night." They all finished up their meals and climbed under the makeshift lean-to.

The sun started to beat down on the people sleeping soundly under the canvas tarp. Cowboy rolled out of bed and grabbed his gear hanging off the truck. As he wrapped his leather magnum holster and belt around his waist he saw that Veronica had already gotten up and made some coffee. She was also standing by the fire in a white tank top and short boxers.

"Veronica?" Cowboy asked with a puzzled look as he poured himself a cup of joe from the pot over the fire. She looked at him, not knowing what he wanted, then looked at her skimpy clothing which jogged her memory.

"Oh, ah, ha. Yeah. Those old nasty robes needed a good washing, got them hanging up to dry now." She pointed to the ratty robes draped over side mirrors of the truck. Cowboy tipped his cup to her and headed towards the truck.

"How you feeling Raul?" the old vaquero had moved himself to a sitting position in the bed. His hand still held his wounded side, heavy duty bandages wrapped across his Petro Chico jumpsuit.

"Oh, given the circumstances; being shot in the belly and my truck completely wrecked. I'm doing just fine, boss." Raul ranted. "Still ain't ready to be on my feet for long."

"Whenever you want to start fixing this truck, if you can, go ahead." Cowboy consoled the ghoul.

"Course I can fix it, boss. All those weapon repairs I've done for you and you still doubt me?" Cowboy just smiled and looked up at Boone, who never left his post on the roof.

"Are we in any danger Boone?" Cowboy said, almost as a joke. Boone made a grunt in reply. Cowboy stared at him for a second, but Boone's dark sunglasses never left the horizon. "Well, this was a good talk." Cowboy said as he walked back to the fire. Using his worn boot, Cowboy kicked the still snoring Cass in the leg. The trader snorted awake and rubbed her head.

"Ugh, Why are you waking me up this early?" she didn't give him time to answer, "I need a hangover cure." she felt around the ground next to her for a bottle of whiskey, she found one and popped the cork. Cowboy took a seat next to her.

"Surprised you still suffer from hangovers. Figured you'd have a tolerance for that by now." Cowboy was in a jolly mood this morning. Cass tipped the bottle down and rubbed her eyes,

"May be able to out drink any man on any day. I may have my dad's whiskey running through my blood, but I'm still human." she answered in a sleepy voice.

"I don't like being out in this open desert. It leaves us exposed to heat and vermin." Arcade had been awake for a while and scribbling stuff on a notepad. "Can't we leave the truck behind? Everyone else walks around here."

"Hey." Raul's scratchy Spanish accent in a high decibel, "I worked hard on this old girl. We aren't leaving her back out in the wastes to rust away like the others."

"You are in no condition to work on... her." Arcade felt silly calling the car a female, "and none of us can fix it." Cowboy stepped in and put an arm across Arcade's shoulder.

"Oh ye of little faith." he taunted the doctor then turned to the mechanic, "If you can tell us what to do, we'll be your hands." Cowboy insisted. Arcade furrowed his brow at this.

"Damn it, Cowboy. I'm a doctor, not a mechanic." he said with determination.

"Don't worry. You can sit and watch. We'll do all the work like always." Cass had finally gotten up with a cup of coffee, spiked with whiskey of course.

"Someone has to patch you up from all those bar fights." Arcade snapped back. Cowboy rolled his eyes and made sure he was in between the two.

"I don't know what sparked this bad blood between you two, but I'm tried of having to pull you two apart like rabid coyotes." He gave them a stern look and received one back from them, "Arcade you just make sure Raul heals up properly. Me and Cass will work on the truck. Alright, Raul. What do we do?" Cowboy looked back to the laid up mechanic.

"First you'll need the toolbox in the cab." Cass creaked open the door and searched the floor for the toolbox, the tools were still scattered on the floor from Veronica's joy ride. "Okay, when you get those. Crawl under the truck and check out the tranny." Raul instructed. Cowboy got down on the dirt and scootched under the rusty truck. "Alright unscrew the outer casing." Cowboy found what he was talking about and used a wrench to unscrew the casing. Half way through the turn a stream of fluid spit at the Cowboy's face, covering his sideburns-mustache and Aviators. He had to spit some out of his mouth. Raul heard this, "Wrong bolt, that's the drain for the transmission fluid."

"Could've mentioned that earlier." Cowboy hollered from under the metal monster. Raul continued with instructions until the transmission was semi-repaired and back up in the frame where it belonged. Cowboy climbed out from under the truck and brushed the dust off his jacket.

"Alright, boss. I got a favor. Help me limp over to the hood." Cowboy walked Raul over to the hood. The ghoul took a look at the damage. "Have to change the spark plugs, repair the pistons. Get me some tools." Raul propped himself up with the hood as Cowboy went to grab the toolbox from Cass. Raul worked his magic on the motor. Half way through these repairs the Mojave got one of it's rare rain storms. Out of no where, rain began to fall in buckets.

"We don't move soon, this dirt will turn to mud and we'll sink in." Boone reported the weather from the roof. Raul was working diligently to get the motor in a usable condition.

"Hey, Veronica." Raul yelled at his little helper, now in clean fresh robes, "get in the cab and turn the key for me." the scribe quickly climbed into the driver seat and gave the key a turn. The engine turned over and started. Raul smiled in appreciation and limbed over to the driver seat. "Move over girl." he got in the driver seat and tried to throw the truck in 1st. When he hit the gas, the truck's tires spun in the wet Mojave mud. "Start pushing before she sinks in." Raul yelled to those still around the campfire. Cowboy, Cass, Boone, and Arcade started pushing against the rusty truck. The tires rocked dug deep into the ruts, mud spraying in the air, while rain dripped off the brim of the Cowboy's black hat. Raul furiously worked the gear shifter, rocking the truck back in forth. With one final push the truck started off. Spraying Arcade's white lab coat with layers of sandy mud.

"Phew. Really. This coat stains!" Arcade yelled with his arms stretched out and dripping with mud.

"Come on Arcade!" Cowboy yelled as they chased after the truck through the mud. Cowboy grabbed the side of the bed and vaulted into the truck. Following on the other side was Boone. Cass grabbed the tail gate and dragged herself over the edge. Arcade had trouble catching up, Cass extended her hand, Arcade grabbed a hold. The doctor's feet fell out from under him, dragging his pants through the mud. Cowboy came over and helped her pull in the doctor. Rex ran up next to the truck and took a leap into the bed, his robot legs propelling him. With the truck moving and rain falling, the crew made it's way back to McCarran.


	9. Bet Against the House

After being throughly soaked in the rain and listening to Arcade complain about the mud covering him, the truck roared up to the gates of McCarran airport once again. Droplets of rain trickling off the rusty olive drab paint as it came to a stop. Cowboy and his crew walked up the steps into terminal, Raul still limping in the rear. They all wasted no time getting to Colonel Hsu's office.

"Colonel." Cowboy's western voice echoing in the small concrete room. The colonel stood up to greet him, but a soldier burst in the office from the other door waving a paper.

"Sir, we just got this report in. Outpost Zulu has been destroyed." Hsu took the report from the out of breath soldier and looked it over quickly. After tossing it to his desk, he looked to the people standing in his office, Cowboy in particular, with a raised eyebrow of disapproval.

"When we got up their the Midwestern Brotherhood attacked. There were more than we could all handle. Got out by the hide of our skin." Cowboy explained the events. Hsu slumped down into his chair and rubbed his temples with a defeated sigh.

"So, you were outnumbered. They must've had quite the force to take down NCR rangers." Hsu slightly bragging about the NCR's elite soldiers.

"And it won't be the last you'll see of them. The guy leading them has plans to take down the NCR and all the Mojave." Veronica added onto the bad news. The colonel dropped his head on his desk, wanting to escape the world. He finally came back to reality and lifted his head back up to the the travelers.

"Well, if it is the truth, and I do believe you guys, then we are in trouble. The last time the Brotherhood and NCR matched sabers the NCR beat them into hiding, but only because we had the sheer numbers. The Brotherhood has the better gear and training, but we could put more men in the field. If you are telling me that this Midwestern Brotherhood can match our numbers..." Hsu paused to think, "Well, then, I don't like the NCR's chances. We may've pushed back the Legion, and that freed up some men, but we still have men stationed in taking Vegas from House." The situation was what it was. The NCR was stretched thin, a common theme, and Latham would soon make a grand move. Cowboy did some thinking, then a light bulb went off of his and a smug, shit eating grin spread across his face.

"What if you had help from House's Securitrons?" Hsu's eyebrow returned to it's raised position, this time in curiousity.

"The guy we are trying to wretch Vegas from? THE Mr. House, you think he'll help us?" Hsu made his disbelief over evident.

"Well," Cowboy kind of smiled again as he rubbed his neck again, "He won't help you, but I'm still on good terms with the master of Vegas." Hsu raised his hands in a shrug.

"Hell, I got nothing. If you can convince House to help fight this Brotherhood chapter, then by all means, go ahead and try." Cowboy started to corral the gang out of the office as he turned back to the colonel. "Careful, Vegas is a war zone, don't get your head taken off." After some time, Cowboy found himself in his familiar spot in the truck bed next to Cass.

"So, we're going to see if that old son of a bitch will help the guys fighting him."

"House still owes me." Cowboy entrusted her.

"The most powerful man in the Mojave's in debt to you. That's a nice place to be." Cass was impressed. Cowboy shook his head smugly.

The truck pulled up to the border of Vegas in Freeside, now more a military base than a town. A soldier near the gate into Vegas proper waved the truck to a stop. Raul handed them a document from Colonel Hsu. The soldier checked it, handed it back, and waved to the gate operator. The truck quickly rumbled into the square that held Gomorrah and, more importantly, the Lucky 38. The fighting had lulled with the fighters from both sides back in camp licking their wounds. The battle of Vegas was more a war of attrition. After parking the truck next to the formidable wall that encased Vegas, Cowboy climbed the steps of the Lucky 38.

"Just like old times." Cowboy joked to Cass. When they reached the top of the steps Victor the cowboy Securitron was still standing diligently at his post. The robot caught sight of the crew and started speaking in his robotic pseudo-Western tone.

"Well, by howdy there partner. Nice to see ya again, come back to see the boss man?" Cowboy waved at the robot and continued towards the door with his friends following. "Now partner, you know your friends here aren't allowed ta see the boss man. He's a shy sorts." They all stopped in their tracks,

"Yep, just like old times." Cass grumbled sarcastically to the Cowboy. Cowboy turned to the Securitron.

"Victor, we've all been through a lot. You know I'm a man of my word, Let us in." Cowboy tried to reason with him.

"Sorry partner, but them are the rules." Victor insisted. Cowboy started to argue with the robot trying to persuade him.

"Ah, Hell with this." Cass muttered under her breath before drawing her shotgun and blasting Victor's screen away at point blank range. Cowboy jumped back from the exploding Securitron.

"Damn, Cass. Show a little restraint." Cowboy yelled as he brushed the bits of spare wire off his duster.

"Oh, it doesn't really matter. He just jumps to another metal death trap and bugs the Hell out of us all over again." Cass defended herself as she opened the door. They all walked into the still silent halls of the Lucky 38.

"I'm going to head up to see House. You guys coming with me?" Cowboy asked as he stood next to the elevator. Raul hobbled over to the bar and took a seat on the stool and waved a dismissive hand.

"House isn't a respected figure in the Followers community. I'd rather not see that rich bastard in his ivory tower." Arcade argued as he took a seat at one of the empty roulette tables, brushing the dust off the black and red felt table top. Veronica, Cass, and ED-E stepped up to go with the Cowboy.

"I'll stay here and keep watch." Boone whispered out as he stood next to the elevator. Cowboy tipped his hat and stepped in with the two women and the robot.

"So, what is Mr. House like?" Veronica asked in fervent excitement at the occasion.

"Don't get your hopes up." Cowboy said vaguely. The elevator dinged onto the top floor. They poured out of the elevator and climbed down a set of stairs to be face to face with a large, green computer screen.

"House. You in there?" Cowboy yelled at the monitor. A few moments of silence, then a large picture of a well dressed man with a perfect mustache and hair appeared on the screen.

"Ah, didn't expect to see you. And why did you bring these ladies with you?" the monitor asked in a high society tone. "I must have a talk with Victor. He's slipping up."

"House. I've got a gamble. You like those right?" Cowboy pulled out some Vegas puns.

"You've worked with me long enough Courier." House never took to calling Cowboy by his new moniker, "I don't gamble, I make calculated choices to get what I want. I leave the gambling to those fools who once walked my streets. Now they've taken to destroying this city I've built." House commented on the state of events. "Is that why you're here? To talk me into relinquishing my hold on this city. I know you seem to think fondly of those NCR fools." House did not get his way when it came to the outcome of Hoover Dam, leaving him bitter after all the money he poured into the platinum chip.

"Hey, I let you live. The NCR wanted me to march into your chamber and take you out. So I think that makes me a neutral player between you two. And you still got your chip, even if I didn't get it to the Fort in time for Hoover." Cowboy matched wits with Mr. House.

"Fine, I know you are not here for a social call. What do you want to ask of me, Courier?" Mr. House cut to the point in typical business fashion.

"You are going to love this one. The Mojave needs your help." Cowboy started into his proposition, "a new faction has moved into the desert. This lost chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel from the Midwest wants to rule the Mojave. The NCR isn't strong enough to take on this large force, not alone at least." Cowboy alluded towards his ultimate plan, and Mr. House got to it first.

"And you want me to help them. To turn my Securitron army from fighting against these brutish NCR troopers to fighting with them. Why would I do this? What's in it on my end?"

"A man always looking for his angle." Cowboy admired House's shrewd bargaining, "The guy leading these Brotherhood fighters. He won't stop with just pushing the NCR out. He'll come for Vegas."

"My Securitron army is more than capable of taking down any threat to Vegas."

"This army is better trained and larger than the NCR forces you're having trouble with now. They will beat your robots back." Cowboy tried to talk up the Midwesterns' power. House let out a smug chuckle.

"I'm not convinced yet to join with my enemy."

"If you don't help. We could just walk over to that computer and pull the plug on your little life chamber." Cass grunted, tiring of this back and forth.

"Don't let your welcome wear thin Ms. Cassidy. This is not just a caravan negotiation for a slab of brahmin steak and snack cakes." Cass was taken back that House knew so much about her. "Fine, you want my help to bail out the NCR. You can bring my Securitrons to your fight with those technology fanatics, but..." the familiar catch Cowboy was familiar with, "during all the commotion of this battle with the NCR, the casino families retreated into the Ultra Luxe, or what's left of it. When they did, they took something that belongs to me..." House was cut off their by Cass.

"Seems like you lose a lot of things." she snarked. If the computer screen could show House's expression, it be one of squinted angry eyes.

"Anyhow. You head over there and get it back. I don't care how you do it; sneak it out, talk them out of it, kill them. Though I prefer you keep them alive."

"Fine House. Consider it done." Cowboy stated as he started to the elevator. On the ride down, Veronica spoke up.

"All of Vegas is ran by a computer?" She couldn't believe that fact.

"Nope, he's a real man preserved in a vital chamber, but he can't go out or he'll die. He's over 200 years old. So that's where the monitor comes in." Cowboy explained the history of Mr. House. The elevator came to the ground floor. Cowboy walked out first. "Come on guys. Let's go play some cards."


	10. Aces and Eights

Leaving the truck parked by the fence, they all started to walk across the war torn Vegas towards a shiny husk of a building. Through all the grim and soot stood a fancy gleaming tower radiating white light into Vegas. As Cowboy walked past a large, decorative fountain spraying water 10 feet up in the air he tossed in a bottle cap. The little piece of metal floated to the bottom with other caps of it's kind. The group entered through the double doors that served as entrance to the Ultra Luxe. The inside of the casino was still in pristine condition, massive glass chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and fine carpet under the feet of Cowboy's dusty boots. The walls exuded with colors of royal purple and ocean blues, this was a fancy place, no doubt there. The inhabitants of the casino were wearing their "faction armor", the Omertas in suits of dingy beige, the Chairmen in their God awful plaid, and the White Gloves still insisted on being dressed to the nines with coattail tuxedos. The leader, new leader, of the Chairmen approached Cowboy.

"Whoa. What's brings you here, cat?" Swank asked, then looked over his shoulder at Cass, "And with the goods?" Swank added in his overplayed 'cool' accent. Cass returned the comment with a look of disappointment.

"Mr. Swank, I'm here on business." Cowboy began to explain his visit.

"Aw baby. You're always here on business. Ain't you got any pleasure in your life? You dig?" Swank gave his sales pitch. Cowboy started back in, his voice a little firmer this time.

"I'm here on behalf of your boss." Cowboy was again interrupted.

"Yeesh. You still hanging with that ol' bag of bones?" Swank was wearing on his nerves. Cowboy jumped in again, speaking louder this time.

"He says you got something that belongs with him." Cowboy was glad to get that out.

"Hey now, everything in here is ours." Swank's playful tone was more businesslike, but the jolliness never left it.

"Damn it Swank. I ain't got the time for this. Just give me whatever it is." Cowboy was getting agitated, the companions behind him just watched this comedy of errors unfold.

"Telling you, baby. There ain't nothing here that ol' Mr. House needs back. You dig?" Swank tried to play it off innocently. Cowboy buried his face in the palm of his leather trail gloves.

"Is there someone more competent around? Marjorie, maybe?" Cowboy asked in a tone that was exhausted of this conversation.

"Easy, killer. Just cause I ain't got what you need don't mean you got to be a real Scrooge about it. Why don't you try your hand at roulette, just got new tables in." Swank went back to marketing. Cowboy looked at him with a stare of unamused. "Alright, cat. Marjorie's in the back at the receptionist desk. Got you wound tighter than a guitar string." Cowboy walked by Swank without replying to the obnoxious man. As Veronica walked by, Swank remarked, "Hey babe, why don't you leave that ol' Scrooge alone. I got a key to the penthouse suite." Swank insisted with a devil's grin. Veronica gasped in shock and slapped him across the cheek and walked on. Swank was still smiling when Cass walked by. "What about you doll. It's got a personal bar." he didn't know when to stop. Cass rolled her eyes and stepped in close to him. Swank's face lit up in anticipation. She then planted a firm right jab into his stomach. The plaid Chairman hunched over in a coughing fit, the wind knocked out of him. Cass followed the rest and left him there. They all walked down the hall of the luxurious casino until they reached the reception desk. A lady half way through her 40's stood behind the desk. As Cowboy and the crew approached, she drew back the short brown hair from her eyes.

"Ah, you again. What can I help you with?" Marjorie, leader of the White Gloves asked. Cowboy leaned an arm against the desk as he began to speak.

"You folks took something that Mr. House wants back. Mind telling me where it is?" this question enticed a quizzical look from the lady. "Come on Marjorie. I just put up with Swank, so don't test my mood." Cowboy added. She thought for a second, then spoke.

"Oh, I think I know what you want. Cachino had this disk drive shaped like a playing card that he used to improve the efficiency of our security cameras and systems."

"What is it with House and modeling things after gambling objects." Cass muttered behind Cowboy, the stoic man heard her, but not Marjorie, who never stopped speaking.

"... if that's what House wants back, you'll have to take it up with Cachino. He's usually on the floor." Marjorie finished. Cowboy tipped his hat in gratitude and headed towards the gambling floor, making sure to avoid encountering Swank again.

"This should be easy. Last time I checked, Cachino owed you for bailing him out of trouble with Big Sal and Nero." Arcade retold the old story.

"Exactly, Old Cachino isn't too hard to strong arm, especially since I have that dirt on him." Cowboy said with smug satisfaction.

"Didn't you throw away that journal though?" Arcade sounded doubtful.

"Yeah, it was taking up too much space, but he doesn't know that." a smug chuckle in his deep voice. They found the balding, squirrelly Omerta chewing out a blackjack dealer on the Luxe floor.

"YOU ARE TRYING TO CHEAT ME!? I"M A MOTHER..." before the angry, little man could finish, Cowboy entered the conversation.

"CACHINO! Simmer down, boy. We need a word." Cowboy defused the yelling match. Cachino looked at the dealer with fiery eyes,

"Get out of my sight." he commanded, and the dealer obeyed. The dirty Omerta looked back to the tall cowboy, "To what do I owe this visit?" the cordial greeting was delivered in a less than happy tone.

"The security card you 'borrowed' from Mr. House. I need it back." this request soured Cachino's already piss poor day.

"Why should I even consider giving it to you? You'll give it back to that damn recluse in the 38, then what? And why do you even care about what House wants anymore?"

"Cachino, remember I still hold that journal of your's. Do you want that blackmail to come to light?" Cowboy dipped into his dastardly side.

"Go ahead. It's been six years since those old guard Omertas slept with the lakelurks. The boys now, they answer to me. Bringing up that old journal means nothing, it's old news. Try again." Cachino took away the Cowboy's last bargaining tool, he tried not to let his face show it.

"Well, Cachino. We are at an impasse. You seem determined to hold onto that card." Cowboy then looked over his shoulders to the gang standing behind him, "and we aren't leaving here without it." At that cue, they all flashed their weapons. Cowboy tossed his duster tail back to show his magnum, Cass opened a flap of her jacket to show a concealed pistol in the brown leather jacket. Cachino wore the smug smile.

"I wouldn't try that. My boys are all around here. So are Swank's, and Marjorie's." the two stood staring at each other, seeing if one was bold enough to make a move. "You want the card... Are you still a betting man?" This got a raised eyebrow from under Cowboy's tinted Aviators.

"You suggesting a round of cards for that little thing House wants? Okay, name your game. Blackjack, poker, caravan." Cowboy went for the idea.

"No, none of those damn games, especially caravan. Shit game if ever knew one. No, I have one that hasn't been played much since the bombs fell. I just learned about it myself. Game called Euchre, or Youker, or some shit like that." Cowboy's curiosity got the best of him. He wanted to try this game.

"Let me see that you have this card first." his one condition.

"Right now it's plugged up in our security console. I'll send one of my boys for it. Now, follow me." They all started to follow Cachino to a side door off the main Ultra Luxe floor. "This is the high roller's room. No weapons at all allowed, and you can only bring in one of your little goons." A White Glove man appeared with a large briefcase.

"Deposit your weapons in this secure case sirs." He said in a electronic voice. Cowboy pulled out his magnum and dropped it in, then stared at Cachino. The sweaty man pulled a .45 from inside his nasty beige suit and dropped it in also.

"Cass, put your pistol in there. You're playing cards today." Cass obliged and dropped in the little pea shooter. An Omerta thug, who served as Cachino's partner, did the same. "Rest of you, go enjoy the hotel." Cowboy ordered as the thugs chauffeured the 4 into the lavish, yet cramped high roller's room. They took a seat around a square table as Cachino shuffled a deck of cards that were lighter than the standard 52. As he explained the rules of this new game, a waitress in a dress too short to be respectable handed drinks to all the patrons in the room. Cowboy and Cass wearily stared at theirs, not trusting the contents. Cachino stopped his lecture and took a sip of Cowboy's to prove it was just an honest glass of whiskey.

"Okay, now you have the rules." Cachino started when a second Omerta thug entered with a case, "and there's the prize." the case opened to reveal a glossy jet black playing card with the ace of clubs in gleaming silver. "Let' play. First to ten."

Four hands in and they were tied 2-2. "So, why is it you want this card back anyway? You aren't House's bitch anymore are you?" Cachino asked as he called diamonds trump.

"No, but I never was. See, out in the wastes..." Cowboy stopped his story to lay a Jack of hearts and take the hand, "... we met these fellers from a disowned Brotherhood chapter and the guy in charge he's got a few screws loose."

"I'm sure you can relate." Cass jabbed in while playing a 9 of spades, following suit. The remark got a sneer from Cachino, a hidden laugh from Cowboy.

"So, their leader. He's got this idea of taking over the Mojave to create this massive Brotherhood empire. Well, he's already got a pretty big army. Bigger than the NCR can fight back. I tasked myself with putting a pause to the scrap between House & the NCR and get his Securitrons to help even up the fight. His condition for helping is that card."

"You're still his bitch then." Cachino chuckled to himself. His jolly moment was ended when Cass took the hand with a ace of diamonds. A few more hands passed in the game and the cocktail waitress kept the drinks flowing, mostly around Cass. The score got to 8-6, favoring Cachino.

"We never set what happens if I win, since I'm about to." Cachino raised the question. "You want this card from me, what do I need from you?" Cowboy didn't like the scheming in his voice. The Omerta eyed up Cass, "Nah." and went back to thinking. "You seem to know Mr. House well. If I win, I want you to steal control of the Securitrons for me..." Cachino thought some more, "And Hell, while your at it, put a bullet in his brain. No wait, take me up that damn ivory tower so I can do it myself." Cowboy didn't like these demands, but it was too late to back out now. He looked over to Cass with worried eyes.

"Don't worry, that won't happen." She comforted him, then turned to Cachino, "I'm going alone." that was a bold move, but Cass specialized in those. Cowboy laid his cards down nervously. If she won, they got the 4 points for victory and the security card, if not, Cachino got the 2 points for his revenge. With spades trump, Cass laid down the Jack of Clubs, neither Cachino nor his thug could beat it. Next Cass threw the Kings of Spades, neither got close. She led with the high bar, Jack of Spades and took the hand. Their chances were looking good. Queen of Spades, win again. The last round, Cass had to have this to get all 4 points. Cachino threw a Ace of Clubs and was feeling great about his chances. His partner threw junk, Cachino was still riding high, then Cass threw down the Ace of Spades and won the final round. She raised her arms in excitement,

"Wooo! Eat that Cachino. Jackass." she exclaimed in joy. Cowboy sat with a reserved demeanor, but inside he was elated that they won the game. Before Cass could collect their reward, Cachino started a deceitful slow clap. The Omerta boss stood up and walked over to the reward case, still clapping all the way.

"I suppose you dicks won." He said insincerely, "That means you get the security card." Cachino stopped clapping and placed his hands in his pockets, "See though, that little card. Makes keeping this place locked down a snap." Cachino and the Omerta thug then pulled out two hidden pistols from their jackets, "So, you aren't getting this card, or leaving the high roller's room alive." Cowboy & Cass raised their hands in the air. Both Cass and Cowboy had a knife hiding in the inside of their boot, but it seemed pointless to pull out a Bowie knife against a 10mm. Cowboy stood still, part of him wondering how he could get out of this one, the other just waiting for the warm sting of the bullet, a feeling he was all too familiar with. Cachino aimed his pistol with smug satisfaction on his face that he would be the man to end the Courier. Before Cachino pulled the trigger, the sound of someone clearing their throat echoed from a dark corner of the room. All four people jerked their heads towards the shadowy corner, what they saw baffled them. Another man somehow got into the room, but not through the door. While they all looked at him with shock he pulled a cigarette out of his long, tan trench coat and a match from his hat and took a puff from the lit cigarette. Cachino was still too stupefied to shoot. The man then dug back into his trench coat to pull out a magnum with pearl grips, much like Cowboy's magnum. It finally donned on Cachino that the stranger man had a gun. He tried to raise the pistol shoot, but the man fired off two shots first. Cowboy and Cass turned to see the Omertas fall clutching their chests.

"Oh shit." Cass said softly in amazement. Then they turned to the stranger, but the man had disappeared, only a smoldering cigarette left on the floor. "Where the Hell'd he go?" Cowboy picked up the cigarette.

"I don't know." Cowboy said in content disbelief. Cass grabbed the security card from the case.

"I got the card. Let's get out of here." Cowboy agreed and followed the caravaner out of the high roller's room. The White Glove man who held back their guns rearmed the two. Cass pulled Arcade from a slot machine while Cowboy grabbed Boone from the bar. After rounding up the rest of the crew and pulling Rex out of a potted plant, they left the Ultra Luxe with haste before the bodies were found. After a short walk they were once again at the steps of the Lucky 38.

"I'm going to stay out here and check out the truck. Okay, boss." Raul informed him as he left towards the truck still parked by the high Vegas fence, with Rex in tow. Boone stood guard at the outside door, only Cowboy, Veronica, and ED-E went to back to Mr. House. The large, green screen came to life again with the picture of the well dressed man.

"Glad to see you have returned without creating too much a mess. You got my piece of equipment I hope?"

"I'm curious. How has your life support systems survived this long?" Veronica chirped up, still fascinated by Mr. House. Cowboy quickly looked at the ground.

"So, you felt the need to tell her the one secret I asked be kept confidential, Courier. I assume the rest of your rag tag hooligans know the intricate details of my current status?" House was angered.

"Easy, Mr. House. The girl don't mean nothing by it, she is just curious." Cowboy defended the scribe. House's voice projector was silent for a while.

"Did you get my property back?" he asked very directly. Cowboy dug through his back pocket and pulled out the black card.

"I've got it right here. Now, can I expect you to make temporary peace with the NCR and pledge some Securitrons to fighting the Midwesterners?" Cowboy asked holding the card up by his head.

"I will make no promise until I have that card back, but yes." House guaranteed his end of the deal. Cowboy handed the card back to Mr. House, inserting it into a slot in his computer mainframe. "Thank you for your service. I will send a detachment of Securitrons to McCarran, let your NCR friends know they are coming. And that the hiatus of our war is only temporary. Make that part clear."

"Since I went through the trouble to take that thing back, why exactly did you want that card back so much? Cachino said it was an advanced security."

"Much like the platinum chip. This card is more than what meets the eye. Cachino was right in that it can be used to enhance a security system. I want it back for another purpose it serves, as a minor upgrade to my Securitrons. It helps beef up some calibrating systems and other hardware, but not to the extent the platinum chip would've." House explained the card's true intention. Cowboy thought about it for a second.

"So, I just helped you beef up your Securitrons for when you do go back to war with the NCR. You tricky bastard, House."

"Hmm, hmm, hmm." House chuckled lightly, "I admit, my bargain was a double edge sword, but you got your support. We both benefit from your labors, I consider this a profitable venture."

"Not that you care, but what happens when the NCR learns we helped you defeat them by supping up your toys?" Veronica frustrated with House's trick.

"Don't worry child. If you never tell them, the NCR won't know what you did here. I surely won't be talking to them any time soon. If they ask how you got my aid, tell them after tough negotiations I decided to help the Mojave for my best interest, which it is in my best interest. I've put too much of my time, life, and money into Vegas for some fool with a dream and a laser rifle to take it down. Or at least attempt to." that last line was spoken with prideful aloofness.

"Good bye, House. We may met again. Who knows what the Mojave holds for us?" Cowboy dismissed himself from the penthouse. As the three climbed the stairs to the elevator, Mr. House replied.

"Oh, I know what the Mojave has to offer. It doesn't act unless I tell it."


	11. Forcing his Hand

Cowboy left the Lucky 38 with his friends in tow and started towards the truck. Raul, who had stayed with the rust bucket, saw the Cowboy coming and hobbled up to meet him.

"You're going to want to see this, boss." Raul said in a less than excited tone as he waved a piece of paper in his hand. Cowboy snatched up the letter and read the contents.

{_Hello Farmer, I hear you've been sneaking around New Vegas, yes I have ways of keeping you in sight. That city of lights, just a giant target for my men to hit. Soon even that tower will bend to my might. Whatever you attempted there will not matter in the end. The Midwestern chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel will not be stopped. Our mission is of a greater purpose, to bring a cleansing flame across this vast wasteland. To reach this goal, I have taken an interest in the Super Mutant of Jacobstown. I hear you are friends of their sheriff, Marcus._

_ I will send him your regards, Head Paladin Johnathan Latham_}

As Cowboy took in all the letter had to say he could almost hear the pompous voice of Latham reading the lofty words. After finishing the last line, Cowboy slowly looked back up to Raul with a conflicted look across his weathered, tired face.

"Apparently this feller knows a little more about us than I expected. He must have someone following us to drop this note in the truck." Cowboy reasoned.

"Yeah. I found it in the bed after we came back from the Luxe." Raul reported on the note's discovery.

"Well, if what he's saying in this letter is true, then we need to get up to the mountains."

"But what about the NCR? They are waiting for us and the Securitrons." Arcade reminded the Cowboy of the current situation. If they didn't report to the NCR that there was a division of Securitrons headed to McCarran to help they might try to shoot them down. Cowboy huffed in thought, his hands metaphorically tied by Latham. He looked at his weary band of wanderers. They had been through a lot these past days, but they were still ready for more. Then he looked at Raul, the old ghoul still feeling his effects from his injury.

"Alright." Cowboy looked around to make sure he had everyone's attention, "Raul. You go on back to McCarran and tell the NCR that House has sent some robots for the fight. My guess is when we get to Jacobstown it'll be a firefight and you need to rest with that gut wound." Cowboy started to speak again when the old vaquero chirped up,

"What about my truck? I assume you don't want to walk out all the way to Jacobstown, least not again." Raul was right. Cowboy looked towards the mousy Brotherhood scribe,

"Veronica, you think you can drive that rust bucket all the way into the Nevada mountains?" she shook her head hesitantly. Cowboy turned to Raul, "There you go."

"If I had to leave the safety of this thing to any of you knuckleheads, she's who I would've picked." Raul wasn't happy at being separated from a truck he worked on tirelessly to get it running again. "Let's get down to McCarran then." Raul ordered as they all started to climb in. The ride was short and soon they were at the familiar outside gate of the airbase. Raul climbed out of the driver seat slowly, still feeling that wound. Veronica slid over to take the wheel once more, though not in such a stressful situation. Limped to the bed and grabbed his tool box and stuck his .44 into his jumpsuit belt. "Well, see you around, boss." he muttered. Cowboy looked over at him.

"Get in there. Tell them about House's deal and then, once the Securitrons arrive, get out to Jacobstown." Cowboy said in a spirited tone to fight the somber disposition of the ghoul. The old man simply turned away and started his slow limp towards the gate. Cowboy watched the old man for awhile then rapped against the truck to signal Veronica to head towards the mountains laying on the northern horizon. The cab felt empty to Veronica, she was still nervous at driving the roaring, rusted truck, and now Raul wasn't there in the seat beside her. No one to give her grief. In the bed the crew was chewing the fat with each other.

"Latham wants to take over the Mojave. So, what? He attacks the Super Mutants to take out a big threat?" Arcade had been debating why Latham chose to attack Jacobstown.

"Well, he could be trying to recruit some brutes to his chapter. Part of Veronica's story was that this Latham guy took over a tribe of Super Mutants after he beat their leader in combat. So it makes sense he would try to bolster his ranks with a race of people he feels a connection with. Remember that this guy isn't quite all there." Cowboy lectured out.

"Laser rifles and super mutants. I'm not liking our odds." Cass said in a defeatist tone as she petted Rex, his head resting in her lap. ED-E whistled out a few aggressive beeps.

"I know you're ready for a fight ED-E." the little robot's cheery vigor gave Cowboy a laugh.

The lofty Nevada mountains started to block the view of the vast, spanning desert. The sandy flats turned into rocky slopes covered with snow. Scraggly pine trees replaced the cacti that littered the Mojave. Veronica got to the edge of the Jacobstown settlement, the sign from it's days as a pre-War ski resort stood above the mountain slopes. Over the rumble of the truck Veronica could hear the sound of gunfire and shouts. She stopped the truck abruptly at the resort's gate, now closed down tight with a wrecked car. Cowboy was the first man to hop from the bed with the rest to follow. Peeking over the car blockade, Cowboy spotted Doc Henry taking shelter in a ravine. Boone looked up to see where the enemy fire was coming from.

"Look." he pointed across the slopes surrounding the lodge, "Brotherhood troopers." Latham had followed on his promise, his men were raining down fire on the settlement, but the hardy Super Mutants didn't fall easily. Cowboy yelled to the old doctor.

"Henry! Doc Henry!" The aged man looked over to see the group of friendly reinforcements. He waved them over to his ravine, they slowly crawled over the car snuck into the ditch, avoiding laser fire. Before Cowboy could ask what the situation was, Boone sighted in and started taking out the Midwesterners with his sniper. "What happened here?" Cowboy asked the doc.

"Well." the old man's voice was scratchy, "These fools showed up and surrounded us. Their leader, guy with a cape, gave some speech about reaching full potential. It was enough to convince Keene and his nightkin to turn coat on us. But Marcus and most of the rest of the mutants here didn't fall for the fluffy words and so the man in the cape decided to deal with us with laser beams." Doc said with cynicism in his voice. While Arcade started to shoot plasma up towards the cliffs, Cowboy asked.

"Where is Marcus right now?"

"He's by the lodge. Taking a beating too." With that Cowboy ran up from the ravine towards the lodge. Most the crew followed, Boone stayed as he enjoyed the sniping from that position. Cass took a position up on the porch of the lodge while the others made it into the the lodge resort. Cowboy ran across the lobby quickly to find a large mutant with an orange shoulder pad as part of his armor. The massive monster stopped his firing for a second to see the men coming up.

"I am glad to see you. Perfect timing for me, maybe not from your end." Marcus' voice was exhausted, but it still sounded studied and thoughtful for a super mutant.


	12. Lovely Day for Skiing

"Yeah, the doctor told me you guys are in a tight spot." Cowboy replied in an equally exhausted tone as he knew a long battle was ahead of him. He stood up next to the mutant leader and peered out the window to see the battle unfold. A stray bullet whizzed in and shattered the last pane of glass, causing Cowboy to duck out of reaction. After pulling himself up off the ground he turned to his crew. "Alright, let's knock these self-righteous punks down a peg." With that decree they stormed from the lodge on back to the ecstatic battlefield. Lasers filled the air, Arcade watched as a Super Mutant entered a hand-to-hand brawl with a Nightkin. The crew ducked behind a nearby hunk of rubble, the first to pop up was Cass as she blasted a volley of lead at a distracted Nightkin. Cowboy peeked over next and realized the Brotherhood was up in the mountains while the Nightkins got stuck doing the dirty fighting down here. Using the rubble to steady his rifle, Cowboy levered in a new round and sighted the nearest Brotherhood trooper. When the bullet hit, they all watched as the red armored man tumbled down the mountainside and hit the cold, stone ground with a loud crack. Cowboy sighted in his next victim, when that trooper also tumbled down the mountain before he pulled the trigger. Cowboy looked over to see Boone in the crater with a smile on his face for stealing the boss' kill. So the cowboy sighted in the next trooper only to see this time that ED-E had hovered his way up the mountain and was raining hot laser down on the Midwesterners at close range. Before Cowboy could change targets, again, a large hand smashed against his face, rolling him over to see a Nightkin had sneaked up on them. With its other wide hand it grabbed Arcade by his lab coat. The medic fired his little plasma pistol into the hulking mammoth's hide only singeing the beast. Rex leaped up and latched his teeth deep into the Nightkin's leg, blood started to trickle down. The mutant roared in pain and turned his attention to swiping at the robo-dog attached to his leg. Veronica came up from her spot to smash her armored fist hard against the monster's side. The resulting blast staggered the beast back. It raised up its arm still holding Arcade and threw the doctor to the ground with great force, then stumbled back two more steps and fell dead. Arcade coughed in wheezing pain and mustered enough strength to get Cowboy's ear.

"Please, go to..." he winced a little, "go to my bag and grabbed a Stimpak." Arcaded asked and Cowboy started to craw over to it, "and a Med-X" Arcade huffed loudly from his injured state. Cowboy dug through the bag to find the two medicines and injected them into the wounded doctor. "Thanks, think I'll just stay here for a moment." Arcade made himself comfortable on the ground. Veronica noticed the shimmering silhouette of another Nightkin trying to sneak up on them. She ran towards it with her arm ready to punch. Once in swinging range she through her arm out. The Nightkin caught her small fist in the palm of its hand. She tried to wretch it free but the enemy didn't lessen his grasp. Veronica saw the glint of his other invisible arm swinging down to smash the little scribe. She ducked down causing the Nightkin to stumble forward and release her hand. She punched towards the mutant's back and hit its calf causing it to falter some. She could see the silhouette spin around in an attempt to catch her with a clothesline. Veronica dive rolled to avoid it, staying behind the invisible hulk. This time she swung high striking the small of the large mutant's back. The shimmering figure fell to the ground and the Stealth Boy deactivated, revealing the hunk of blue muscles. Marcus suddenly erupted from the lodge in a steady run. Waving his hand towards the cowboy and his friends.

"Get down! They rigged the lodge to blow." Marcus yelled as he ducked behind a nearby car. Cowboy laid flat and covered his hat with his hands waiting for the boom. It came after a few short seconds. The windows of the lodge exploded and fire erupted from them as the Pre-War wood started to crackle and sizzle under the heat. After the ringing in his ears subsided, Cowboy realized that the gunfire had stopped. He looked across the land with a curious look to where Boone was stationed.

"The Brotherhood retreated back into the mountains, I've got no bogeys to shoot at." Cowboy propped an arm up on the rubble pile and slowly peaked out across the now silent battlefield. It was filled with Super Mutants just as confused about the sudden stop in fighting. Then, from atop the burning lodge, came an echoing slow clap. Everyone on the ground twisted their heads quickly towards the sound to find it's origin. It was Johnathan Latham, black shoulder cape still draped over his shiny blue power armor, a laser pistol in one hand. His cheek now adorned a long scar running from the top of his mouth all the way back to his thin sideburns, compliments of Boone's missed shot. Everyone that saw him immediately raised their guns to tear the man down. Latham raised his free hand and waved his pointer finger.

"Ah, ah. Not so fast." As he gave that warning, Brotherhood troops appeared in the mountains again, completely encircling the fighters. Cowboy noted some were armed with Fatmen. "I have the high ground. That means I am calling the shots here." Latham said with a sneer.

"Yeah, why don't you call shots down here where I can reach you!" Cass yelled back in anger at the imposing man. A small smile spread across his lips.

"Ah, threats. Is that the only way you drunken rabble know how to communicate?" Latham asked the rhetorical questions with great snobbery. Cass raised up her shotgun to smear the man. Her jerky action was answered with the sound of 75 Midwesterners tightening the grips of their rifles. Cowboy, without taking his eyes of Latham, slowly reached a hand out and pushed Cass' gun down gently.

"What are you here for Latham? To gloat, maybe kill us?" Cowboy asked his question. Latham started a leisurely pace across the roof of the lodge, the structure still bellowing fire and heat below him.

"Oh great, he's going to start monologuing." Arcade grumbled to himself from his seat on the ground.

"You see farmer. I knew once you heard your friends here were under attack you'd rush to come save them. So I had some of my men keep these oafs busy until you arrived, the knight in shinning armor. And you were right, now that you and your ragtag bunch are here I do plan on killing you and forever ending your nuisance to me. Then after you have been effectively dealt with I will focus on claiming that which belongs to the Midwestern Brotherhood. The Mojave will see order once more under my rule, then Vegas too will do my bidding, then the New California Republic to the West. That band of slavers to the south, Caesar's Legion I think they call it, will fall to the might of my army. The world will be as it should be, mine!" Latham ended his statement with his trademark hearty chuckle, proud of his plans.

"Whew. That is quite the laundry list, even for a delusional mad man. Too bad it won't work out that way." Cowboy tried to poke fun at Latham's plan, but the smile did not leave the stoic man's face.

"And why is that? Do you expect to stop me here? You, 6 wastelanders, and a handful of tame Super Mutants against my trained soldiers." Latham replied. Marcus had just pick himself up off the ground.

"Nope." Cowboy replied in a humble tone, "You'll probably put me in the ground right here." Cowboy pointed a finger straight down in front of him.

"Even though he has a bad habit of not staying dead." Arcade again mumbled to himself. No one noticed as Marcus started to slowly pull a hunting rifle from behind his yellowed back.

"But what I've learned in my travels is whenever there's a man in power, there's plenty more looking to knock him down." Cowboy imparted his wisdom.

"Unless there are no men to challenge him." Latham snarled, and at the end of that sentence he raised his laser pistol and, without looking, fired off two shots that struck the sneaky Marcus in the chest. The mutant fell back to the ground clutching one of his wounds. Latham let out a sinister laugh and smiled. Cowboy picked up Arcade from his rest on the ground and rushed them over towards the fallen friend. The blond doctor scurried around looking at the wounds and addressing the situation, his own ribs still in pain.

"I have little experience with Super Mutants, few came to Mormon Fort. But he's losing a lot of blood and fast." Arcade diagnosed as he pressed a bandage over the gushing wound. Cowboy tipped up his black hat as he looked at the doctor.

"I thought you said laser wounds didn't bleed?"

"They usually don't. I don't know what's happening? Maybe the shot glanced off him just right, could be some factor of Mutant biology. I DON'T KNOW!" Arcade argued as he tried to pull Marcus back to life. Marcus struggled his neck to look at the bloody wound then towards Cowboy.

"I don't think I'll be recovering from this one." he grimly predicted, "years of wandering across all these lands after serving the Master and this is how it should end." now he reminisced over his life, "That's okay with me." the tired mutant whispered those last lines, Arcade desperately tried to save him while the other mutants and Cowboy's crew looked on in silent anticipation. Latham had also observed this pitiful affair. His evil smile never left his wide jowl. He started a prideful trot off the roof arms still crossed across his massive chest.

"Send them all down..." Latham began to whisper the order to a nearby soldier on the roof when a thunder of noise entered the mountains. Latham, and everyone in the ski resort, turned to see where the sound came from. Up through the main gates of the ski lodge came a marching brigade of NCR soldiers, supplemented with plenty of Mr. House's Securitrons. Leading the fresh reinforcements was Raul with a cheeky grin. Cowboy felt a hint of hope upon seeing the help, then he quickly turned back to the Super Mutant by his knee. Marcus had closed his eyes, his face was a peaceful one, much like it was through his life. He looked up to Arcade, who was staring back into his dark Aviators. As bullets started flying towards the Brotherhood troopers in the mountains, Cowboy spoke.

"Leave him. We've done what we could." his words were gruff, yet soft and solemn. The duo ran back to the rubble pile with the rest and heard Latham yell from his rooftop pose.

"Retreat! Retreat to the fall back point." He jogged off the roof with that order, his black cape waving in the breeze. The Midwesterners again disappeared into the mountains. Cowboy quickly ran over to Raul as NCR soldiers hectically spread across the lodge grounds.

"Took you long enough, any more time and you'd find a massacre." Cowboy joked as he shook Raul's hand.

"It's about a dramatic entrance. Eh, boss." Raul shot back.

"Come on, let's get back to the truck." Cowboy ordered as he waved the rest over. While walking to the truck, Boone addressed the group. "Judging by which way Latham was retreating and how he plays his military strategy I'm guessing he's heading to set up an ambush in Red Rock Canyon."

"The old Great Khan encampment?" Cass interjected. Boone grimaced at being interrupted again.

"Yes, and I say we walk right into it." Cowboy looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "We know Latham will be there, keep the pressure on him, don't let him squirm away again." Boone explained his bold plan.

"Alright." Cowboy huffed his answer.

"Alright?" Came a unison disbelief from Cass, Veronica, Arcade, and Raul. Cowboy climbed into the bed of the rusted up truck with Rex by his side.

"We've got our support here and now. We may not get another chance like this. So we ride into his ambush." Cowboy ended the conversation. Raul got back into the driver seat of his truck and felt comfortable on the torn upholstery with the metal wheel cool on his rotten hands. He gave the keys a crank and listened to that engine rumble to life once again. As the truck started a slow roll away, Cowboy whistled to the NCR commanders from the bed and waved his hand for them to follow. Cowboy had once again united the Mojave much like he did at Hoover Dam, behind the green truck marched the forces of the NCR, Vegas, and Jacobstown's Super Mutants. All ready to settle a score with the Midwestern Brotherhood, and it's leader, Paladin Latham. 


	13. Hell comes to Red Rock

The cool mountain air dissipated into the dry desert air most were familiar with. The snow capped slabs of gray rock turned to vast expanses of canyons and tall buttes that were a sun dried red. Cass was sitting next to Cowboy in the bed, checking that her shotgun was loaded and knife still had an edge. Her usually stone cold face was starting to crack.

"What is it, Cass?" Cowboy noticed her worry. She milled her spit around in her mouth, trying to muster up the words.

"I'm nervous, okay." she whispered as if trying to hide it from everyone else cramped in the truck bed.

"Why be nervous, you were there with me when we pushed the Legion from the Dam and took down Lanius, the scourge of the East." Cowboy's tone was joking when he mentioned Lanius' nickname.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. But, those were a bunch of slavers that thought a ball bat was better than a rifle. These nut jobs here, well, they've got power armor and laser rifles. Little more imposing." Cowboy understood her reasoning.

"Well, we've got the NCR and House helping us out. If all of us can't take down a few power armored punks then the Mojave is doomed, but that isn't going to happen." He tried to sure up the nervous caravaner, placing an arm around her shoulder and drawing her head into his chest. Boone, who was cleaning the barrel of his prized sniper rifle for the upcoming battle, rolled his eyes behind his tinted shades. As the truck neared a sign that read 'Red Rock Canyon National Park' Arcade let out another heavy cough. "You still feeling that Nightkin Arcade?" Cowboy asked sarcastically. Arcade pulled a Buffout from his bag and popped two of the pills back before speaking,

"Ugh. I'm not made for this. I treat wounds," he grunted as he changed position in the bed, "not collect them." Cowboy chuckled then pulled his arm off of Cass and unholstered his .44 magnum and spun the cylinder to check they were full. Boone clicked in another clip and Veronica loaded some fresh rounds into her ballistic fist. Arcade noticed everyone preparing for the upcoming battle, and then looked back at the soldiers marching behind them with a philosophical look. "but," he exhaled, "war never changes."

"Would you quit saying that." Cass raised her voice in anger. They had marched deep into Red Rock, almost on to the Great Khans encampment. And before Arcade had a chance to reply fire erupted from the high butte cliffs.

"And there's the ambush." Boone muttered almost slipping into sarcasm. The column of soldiers, robots, and mutants behind the truck dispersed into cover and returned fire against the Brotherhood attackers.

"Get out to cover!" Cowboy yelled to those in the truck as Rex went over the edge with a growl. They all quickly leaped out to cover, except Cowboy who went prone on the rusted bed floor, his trusty rifle in hand. As Raul kept the truck moving to avoid laser fire, Cowboy would peek up, barrel first, and take pot shots at the defended power armored soldiers. Securitron rockets whistled into the cliffs, smashing rocks and creating clouds of gritty dust that soldiers fell out of. A squad of NCR troopers was pinned down behind a large boulder being pelted by beams of laser. They tried to peer out and return fire, but the fire was too intense. A Super Mutant came to their rescue, a guardian angel armed with a minigun. He rotated the barrels at a blistering speed and lead poured like a stream of water into the cliffs. The mutant let out a monstrous laugh as it tore away at the Midwesterners. The minigun pellets chipped into the troopers, the laser fire decreased and the NCR troopers joined the mutant in firing on the cliffs. The mutant took point as they all started to march across the open canyon pass. Any Brotherhood trooper that popped his head up lost it to the minigun or combat rifles. The canyon pass started to narrow to a choke point that the truck couldn't pass through. On the other side of it was the Great Khan camp and more troopers waiting. Raul stopped the rust bucket and climbed out of the driver seat.

"Hey, boss. This is as," he ducked down to dodge a stray laser beam, Cowboy poked up to put a bullet in the soldier that shot it, "as far as the truck goes." Raul quickly finished and ran to a nearby rock. Cowboy jumped out and joined the ranks of two Securitrons. His rifle never stopped firing the whole time.

"Rally up!" He yelled as they pushed through the choke point and waded into the Midwesterners. Cowboy pushed through with Securitrons at his side, and his team behind him. The Cowboy's army emerged onto the abandoned Great Khan's land. Cass and Veronica finally had power armored goons within their range, and both took advantage of it. A NCR man took a bullet in the shoulder and Arcade sprung to his aid, ED-E overhead providing heavy cover fire and a battle tune, one of the eyebot's favorites. Cass took a shot at a nearby enemy, knocking him into the ground. She failed to see the other trooper sighting her in on her right, Cowboy did though. He ran up and tackled her to the ground just as a beam flew over them. With his free hand, Cowboy picked up his rifle and put the Brotherhood member to an early end. Firing his brush rifle with one hand did make him feel the recoil hard in his arm. He picked himself and Cass off the ground and dusted off her leather jacket. Then they both picked up their hats. Raul had stayed in the rear, his .44 wasn't enough to stop the heavily armed adversaries, so he helped keep the Securitrons running. The robots were doing their duty and then some, creating a defensive barrier around their allies. Boone charged up to Cowboy's spot.

"I've spotted him." He didn't need to explain who the 'him' was, "He went into the Khan's longhouse up on the ridge." Cowboy knew he had to get up there, so did Boone, "I'll cover you." Cowboy took that as his cue to charge up the mountain. He scaled the red rock face, a Brotherhood trooper came up to the edge and pointed his rifle at the climbing cowboy. Before he could pull the trigger a sniper bullet pierced his skull. Cowboy rolled up onto the path and started climbing up the last cliff, the longhouse waited at top. Two more enemies came up under him and tried to take the gunslinger down, but Boone was faster. Only one bullet was fired, but both fell dead. As Cowboy got to the top of the rock wall his rifle slid off his shoulder and tumbled to the canyon floor. He'd have to take on Latham with his pearl handled magnum and his wits. Once back on his feet, Cowboy saw himself at the door of the longhouse. Last time he was here Cowboy had convinced Papa Khan to leave the Mojave for greener pastures. Cowboy raised his revolver and opened the door cautiously, Latham wasn't visible. The noise of the battle outside sounded like a distant noise inside the eerie silence of the empty longhouse. A laser flew by Cowboy's head causing him to duck and raise his revolver, it pointed at Latham's head and the Paladin's laser pistol was aimed at his. The two looked at each other without speaking, two knights locked in a battle of honor. Cowboy fired a round from his barrel. It smashed into the wall behind Latham who returned fire again. Cowboy ducked away and when he came back up to fire again Latham had closed the gap between them. A huge left arm connected against Cowboy's firing hand knocking the revolver from his hand. Latham tried to raise his pistol, but Cowboy returned the favor and sent the laser gun skidding across the floor. A right hook connected with Latham's jaw, staggering the mountain of a man back a step. The strategist used this to his advantage and put some force behind a wide swing that hit Cowboy in the ribs. He was sure he heard one crack. The Paladin's metal power armor gloves hit a little harder than the leather gloves the Cowboy preferred. Cowboy tried to jam the heel of his cowboy boot into Latham's shin, but the armor reflected the blow completely and unbalanced Cowboy. Latham tackled him down to the ground and raised a fist high in the air. Cowboy jerked his head out of the way when the metal fist smashed into the ground. The small opening gave Cowboy enough time to throw a punch that hit Latham's chin again and tumbled him off Cowboy, who rolled over top of him and started to throw punches on the man's head. Latham musted up extra strength and forced the hero off of him, knocking him on his ass. Latham slowly pulled himself to his feet, breathing a little heavier than usual. His lip was bloodied and the new cheek scar started to drip blood again. The two of them charged each other and locked hands, fighting a game of strength.

"Look at us, farmer. Two warriors locked in a battle of respect, of fate." Latham grunted through gritted and bloodied teeth, a crazed look in his eyes. Latham won the contest and caught the side of Cowboy's face with a hay maker. The cowboy stumbled back, one of his Aviator lens shattered and blood trickled from his nose into his thick mustache. Cowboy felt another punch hit his gut, knocking the wind out of him. He was hunched over when an axe handle punch smashed the other side of the face. Knocking his glasses off and his black hat to the floor, with more blood to even out his face. Cowboy regrouped and took the collar of Latham's power armor and with a roar threw the leader into a nearby shelf. Latham recovered and raised his tired fists. Cowboy concurred, fighting his sapped energy to keep his own fists up while heaving heavy breaths. The battle outside had almost faded from their consciousness. "and it is my fate to win this battle!" Latham struggled to yell those words with a crazed tone. He charged head first at Cowboy, who staggered out of the way. Latham ricocheted off a wall from his failed charge. Cowboy ran up on him and took another swing knocking Latham's jaw. The Paladin pushed him away. Cowboy looked at the man hunched over, growling heavily like a great bear, as he himself propped an arm on his waist and took in gasps of air. Latham stumbled over to Cowboy and took him by the collars of his faded, brown, pre-NCR duster and tried to throw him around. Cowboy wearily grabbed Latham back and tried to push off the Brotherhood Paladin. Both were losing energy after the vicious fight. Cowboy bumped Latham into a wall, Latham pushed back and struggled Cowboy against a tall dresser. Cowboy let go of Latham's armor and used what energy he had to push against his chest plate. The Paladin stumbled back. Latham summoned up his last bit of adrenaline and charged one last time at Cowboy. The wasteland hero remembered he still had one weapon on his person. As Latham rumbled toward him he pulled a Bowie knife from his inside his boot leg. The Paladin closed in, Cowboy held the knife in front of him at chest level. When Latham enveloped Cowboy in his massive arm a look of shock and pain spread on his face and a whimper of pain left his agape mouth. Latham staggered back from Cowboy to see the Bowie knife stuck in his chest, just under the top plate of his power armor. He tried to speak, but only high pitched groans came out. He fell to his knees and looked up at his better, "but... it... it was my fate... mine." Latham whispered with what breath life would spare him, With one last cough, Latham fell to his side, the power armor clanked against floor, his shoulder cape spread across the floor. Cowboy looked at the defeated man for a second, then grabbed his knife from the Paladin's chest. He said nothing as he wiped the bloody blade off on Latham's shoulder cape, he wasn't using it anymore. Cowboy started to regain his senses and heard the battle outside sounded as if it too was winding down. Cowboy picked up his revolver from the floor and dusted his hat off from the floor. With the gun firmly in his holster, he opened up the door from the dark longhouse into the bright Red Rock Canyon. The Midwesterners had been pushed farther back into the canyon and the combined forces of the NCR, House, Jacobstown seemed to be winning the fight.

It would be only a few hours later that the battle would be over and the victory would be decidedly in the Cowboy's favor, without their leader the Midwestern Brotherhood started to lose it's cruel efficency.

"You look like Hell hit you with a weed whacker." Cass' colorful response to Cowboy's beat up appearance as she took an arm under the stumbling Cowboy to help him walk.

"Ah, just a flesh wound." Cowboy tried to play it off. Arcade looked him over.

"That's more than a flesh wound. Looks like deep lacerations, busted nose, and" he poked at Cowboy's side causing him to wince in pain, "yep, a bruised rib, possibly cracked." He looked over to Raul, "take him over to the truck, easily." Raul helped Cass walk Cowboy over to the truck bed.

"So, I'm guessing that Latham isn't a problem anymore?" Boone asked to Cowboy as he faded in and out of consciousness.

"Nope, put a knife in him." Cowboy informed as he relaxed against the truck. Arcade shooed off everyone as he administered medicine to ease Cowboy's pain. The stimpaks started to kick in, making him feel much better, and he leaned back in the bed and fell asleep.


	14. Never Changes

He woke up to see Cass over him, the rest the world a little hazy and he heard the truck engine roaring along. He was feeling better than when he drifted off on sleep.

"Oh, my side." Okay, his side hadn't healed much yet, "Where are we?" he asked her.

"Well, after I had to clear everything up with the NCR we left them to play with themselves. We can't really go back to our farm, since it's a smoldering ash pile. Raul is taking us back to Goodsprings for now." she said in the kindest tone she could find. Cowboy shook his head in acceptance and tipped his hat down to sleep some more. He was awoken by the sound of the tailgate dropping down and the engine dying. After shaking his head, Cowboy looked over the bed to see the familiar sign of the Prospector Saloon. With Cass' help, he limped over to the door and they both took a seat at the bar, with the rest of them sitting down too. A few hours and drinks passed when Cass stood up with a raised glass.

"Hey, hey, listen up. Toast to the Cowboy. This dumbass saved the Mojave twice. First from those Legion dumbasses, now from those Brotherhood jackasses." Cass ordered the toast with slurred words. They all raised their glasses in the air to the victory, and took a drink down. Veronica, too young to drink, was stuck toasting with a Nuka-Cola. ED-E hovered around the bar whistling tunes for the party.

"So, what are we going to do now boss with no farm left?" Raul asked the drunken, injured Cowboy.

"Ah," Cowboy spoke in his silent, measured tone. "I'm not real sure. My best bet is try to rebuild. Pull a few strings with the NCR again." he said as he tipped back a glass of whiskey.

"I have a possibility open to you." said a man sitting next to Cowboy. The cowboy never noticed the man sitting there the whole time they were there. His voice was familiar. It had a certain unique tone. The tone of an educated, high brow, yet humble and honeyed voice of a man who would be at home in front of a church pulpit. Cowboy looked over at the stranger to see a man wearing an LAPD SWAT vest, and oddly enough his whole body was wrapped in bandages from head to toe. Cowboy's eyes widened and a hush fell across the bar at the sight of Joshua Graham. "Now that I have your attention." the master speaker paused for effect, "Caeser's Legion has returned to Zion Valley. They are on the warpath once more." Arcade looked towards Cowboy,

"I suppose war..." Cass cut the doctor's statement abrupt.

"Don't you dare finish that statement."


End file.
